


Witches of Westfield

by EJDaniels



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: F/F, F/M, Multi
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-02-24
Updated: 2018-02-05
Packaged: 2018-03-15 00:06:00
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 34
Words: 269,089
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3430514
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/EJDaniels/pseuds/EJDaniels
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The war is over, Voldemort was defeated and the summer draws to a close as the new school term begins. Harry must decide what to do with his life. Will he return to school for his 7th year, be an Auror…or something else? Read along as Harry finally has control of his own life…or does he?</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Chapter 1 – Severing Ties**

**. . .**

"But you've always wanted to be an Auror," Ginny replied with a note of genuine surprise in her voice. The newest member of the Holyhead Harpies, a second string chaser, set aside the morning edition of the Daily Prophet that she had been reading and looked over towards her fiancé.

"No I haven't," Harry answered with from where he leaned against the kitchen counter of the Burrow, his arms crossed over his chest. "Everyone just assumed that was what I wanted to do," he corrected her. "As if I haven't had my fill of Dark Wizards already," Harry added under his breath.

"I thought we'd decided that you would work in the Department of Magical Law Enforcement for a while and then once established you would run for Minister," Ginny stated. They had previously had long talks concerning Harry's future. Ginny spoke, and Harry had listened. It made perfect sense to her that Harry would become Minister for Magic one day. The Wizarding world of Britain would be thrilled to have him, she just knew it. Even now, despite Harry being under the age limit to sit the office, there were those trying to get him to run for the position. Ginny felt that Harry deserved it after all he had been through during the war.

"You decided, Ginny, not _we_. Kingsley Shacklebolt is doing a brilliant job as Minister," Harry stated. "I'm not about to try and remove him. Not now or ever." It was true. While Kingsley had been placed in the office as an interim Minister, following the removal of Pius Thicknesse who had been under the Imperius curse, Kingsley had performed so well in that capacity that he had been elected to the position for a full term.

"Well…," the young witch slowly said as she thought out all the alternatives. "I guess it isn't critical that you be a part of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement to run for office," she said, thinking aloud and unconsciously dismissing the wizard's comments. "I'm sure you could still get elected if you ran, probably just on your name alone. You are the Chosen One after all. Perhaps if you were to take up the Black family seat on the Wizengamot for a few years before running for office?" she mused thoughtfully. "Yes, I think that would work just as well. Maybe even better as it will give you some experience in politics!"

"You're not listening to me again, Ginny," Harry said evenly, trying to keep his mounting frustration out of his voice. Ginny Weasley had her plans on how their future should be, plans that often didn't matter if Harry agreed with them or not. Much like the girl's mother, Molly Weasley, Ginny was certain that she knew best and he should just do what she said. "I don't want to be Minister," he told her. "I'm not ready for it!"

"Of course not right now, Harry! Don't be silly," Ginny nonchalantly replied as she picked the paper up, prepared to continue reading the article concerning her joining the Harpies. "You have to finish your seventh year at Hogwarts still. We can't have a Minister for Magic that dropped out of school now can we?" The fact that she had left to play Quidditch for the Harpies didn't seem to matter to her. No one would question her choice; it was Quidditch after all!

Molly Weasley had at first been against the decision, deeming it not proper for a lady to quit school before graduating. The row the two of them had was truly epic. Finally Ginny had reminded her mother that the twins had dropped out of school early. Mentioning the twins reminded Molly that Fred was no longer with them. Unlike anything else ever could, a reminder of her loss took the wind out of the woman's sails. Harry recalled that he could almost see Molly deflate before their very eyes. In the end, Ginny got her way. Ginny always got her way.

Harry sighed in frustration before crossing to the table and taking a seat across from the witch. Reaching out, he pulled the Prophet from her hands and set it aside. "Gin, you're not listening to me," Harry said in the calmest of tones, hoping to get through to her finally. Several times he had already informed her that he did not want to return to Hogwarts. The memories were just too painful for him. Far too many friends had been lost there during the final battle as well as the years leading up to it.

"That's because you're not making any sense, Harry," the young woman replied with a slightly amused grin. Ginny, upon seeing Harry hang his head, reached across the table and patted his hand reassuringly. "It's alright. September first is just a few days away. Focus on completing your learning and leave all the rest to me," she told him. "I'll figure out what is needed for you to claim your seat on the Wizengamot and have everything ready for you by the school break for the holidays." Confident that the matter was now settled, Ginny picked up the paper once again and returned to reading the article once more.

It was with a heavy heart that Harry realized that no matter what he said; Ginny would never actually hear him. It had been a problem which, in retrospect, seemed to show itself more frequently as time passed. At first, he hadn't noticed it, riding the emotional high of winning the war, still being alive and getting back with the girl he loved. There were little clues he should have seen like being told what to wear, where to go eat when they went out and who to talk to as well as what to say. These things at first didn't seem to matter all that much to Harry as he didn't usually know what to wear, where to go or what to say. Slowly though he had begun realize that he had lost all control of himself as an individual.

The first serious indication that there was an issue was when Harry had departed with Hermione to retrieve her parents from Australia so that they could restore their memories. Ron had begged off going as he was uncomfortable with being in the Muggle world. On the contrary, Ginny had been adamant about going, even though she had no experience with ' _going Muggle_ ' as Ron had termed it. The young witch's temper had exploded when Harry had flatly refused to take her.

Two weeks later when they had returned, missing Hermione's parents who had elected to stay in Australia, Ginny's temper hadn't cooled at all. If anything it had grown worse. The fact that Harry spent several days consoling Hermione didn't help his cause in the least. The youngest Weasley had questioned Harry relentlessly about every little detail of the trip. She seemed to particularly dislike the fact that the two of them had shared a hotel room during their stay in Australia. It had taken Harry finally proposing to her and placing a stunning ring upon Ginny's finger to break her out of her jealous mood. Since then everything had been Ginny's way, regardless of what Harry wanted or said.

Harry knew that he couldn't blame Ginny for everything. He was as much at fault as she was. At first, he hadn't said anything and had instead only gone along with whatever the witch had wanted. Better to let her have her way than have her mad at him yet again. A month into their engagement and he was having doubts concerning his original thoughts. Harry attempted on several occasions to interject his opinions and wishes, but by then it was too late. Ginny had taken control of the young wizard and their relationship and wasn't about to give that power up.

Two weeks earlier, after a fitting for dress robes for their wedding, Harry had tried to state that he didn't like the puce coloring only to be told that he was wrong and that of course, he liked it. It was then that he realized that he might have proposed, to the then irate witch, only so that she would not be mad at him anymore. The last couple of weeks had only affirmed that thought. He bit his tongue and tried to make it work. Everyone said they were perfect for each other and how could everyone be wrong?

"This isn't working," Harry stated in a weary tone of voice after a few long moments. "I can't do this anymore, Ginny. Merlin knows I've tried these last few weeks," he said in an almost desperate confession. It pained him to admit it, both to Ginny as well as to himself.

The young witch's brows creased as she lowered the paper to the table. "What do you mean, Harry?" Ginny inquired with a hint of confusion in her tone as she stared at the wizard across the table from her. "What's not working?" the clueless girl asked.

"This. Us," Harry replied looking up at Ginny while using a hand to motion between the two of them. "You can't tell me that you're truly happy with the way things are between us and that this is what you've always wanted?" he asked looking at her incredulously.

"You have always been what I've wanted, Harry!" Ginny exclaimed. "Ever since I was a little girl I've dreamed of our life together, Harry! I know things have been rough for you since the war. Those dreams are still bothering you. It isn't really how I've imagined our lives together but I can overlook all that, I guess. Still, you really need to learn to let the past go, Harry," she told him a bit condescendingly. "Even with your trip to Australia with another girl while leaving me behind, you are still all I've ever wanted!"

"This has nothing to do with the dreams, Ginny," Harry growled out. Dreams would have been a kind term for the nightmares he experienced every night. He had been forced to place heavy silencing spells around his room each time he went to bed after having woken the entire house several nights in a row. The dreams were just a side effect of the war, or so the Healers at St. Mungo's had told him. They had stated that they would lessen in frequency and severity with time, only they hadn't. If anything they were getting worse.

Harry had spoken with Ginny about the dreams at one point, and it was she that had convinced him to seek medical help from a Healer. The young witch had agreed with the Healer's prognosis and that it would pass in time. She had urged him to let the past go and focus more on their future. Try as he might the dreams wouldn't leave him. Ginny once, having lost her temper, had accused him of not wanting to let go of the past. ' _You enjoy being the martyr, which is why you can't get past these stupid dreams!'_ she had declared in a fit of hurtful anger.

"Look, I'm not the same boy you fell in love with back at Hogwarts," Harry tried to explain to her. "I'm definitely not The-Boy-Who-Lived that you grew up crushing on either. I've changed. The war did things…, it changed me I think and not for the better." Harry knew that in many ways he was broken inside which made him different from ordinary people. It was something he realized Ginny would never understand or accept. "You deserve better, Gin," Harry stated before swallowing heavily. The young wizard knew his next words would hurt her terribly. "This is no longer what I want," he told her, indicating the two of them being together.

Ginny's eyes filled with tears as she couldn't believe the words she had just heard. All her life all she had ever wanted was to marry Harry Potter. She may have been crushing on him for as long as she could remember but that didn't make her love any less real. Her first year at Hogwarts he had saved her life when she knew she didn't deserve it. It was then that she had realized that Harry wasn't just The-Boy-Who-Lived, he was something, someone, so much more real. This knowledge only led her to fall even deeper in love with the boy who was Harry Potter.

Through the ensuing years, she had worked hard to become Harry's friend, a fact made easier due to her brother Ron being one of Harry's best friends. Their shared experiences with the DA as well as the ill-fated trip to the Department of Mysteries had only served to bring them closer together. She still recalled their first kiss and how it was so much better than she had ever imagined. It truly had been a magical experience for the young girl. She had been so ecstatic when they had started to date as it seemed that all her dreams were about to come true at last.

Not that Harry was all perfect, mind you. She had been rightfully upset when he had broken up with her to go off with Hermione and Ron to hunt Horcruxes. Ginny had later realized that Harry had done it to protect her. Voldemort would have most definitely used her to get to Harry. When the war had ended, she had found comfort in Harry's arms while she grieved for the loss of Fred as well as the others who had died in the battle of Hogwarts.

Just when she thought they would have a chance to have a life together Harry had left with Hermione to fetch her parents from Australia. The fact that he had flatly refused to allow her to go with him had angered her to no end. If she were honest with herself, she would have to admit that in part her anger was due to the jealousy she felt. Though she had tried not to let it get to her, the young witch had always been slightly jealous of the closeness in Harry and Hermione's relationship. In part, it was due to her own desire to be that close to Harry and knowing that she wasn't and probably never would be. Some things just couldn't be developed as they were instead created through shared experiences.

"So that's it?" she hesitantly replied. "You're going to leave me just like that? Just when I need you most? What will everyone say?" she gasped, one hand rising to cover her quivering lips even as the first of many teardrops fell from her eyes. _What will mum and dad say? What of the press? They are sure to have a field day with this development._ _Who's going to help me practice Quidditch now?_

"Ginny, you are an amazing woman and a brilliant witch," Harry quickly said, feeling terrible for having made her cry and yet knowing there was no other way. "You'll be a smashing addition to the Harpies and let's be honest; you haven't needed me since your first year of school. If anything it was always me that needed you," he told her while recalling how much help she had been in the Department of Mysteries.

"You're wrong! I do need you. I always will, Harry," Ginny exclaimed in denial of his words. The young witch could almost hear all her hopes and dreams shattering along with her heart.

"For what, Gin?" Harry asked her calmly, a small part of him wishing that she would change his mind but the larger portion knowing that she wouldn't be able to. Now that the time was here, Harry realized that their breakup was perhaps a long time coming. _It might have been best to have left it as it was after Dumbledore's funeral,_ he thought to himself. Hindsight was always so much clearer than when you were in the actual moment.

"For…I love you," the young witch replied through her tears. Those three little words were all she could think of at that moment. She didn't want to admit it, but she had known that something had changed between them. She had thought that if she just ignored it, pretended that it didn't exist, that it would eventually go away. She had focused on making everything as perfect as possible instead to distract herself from the growing realization that not only was it not perfect but it never would be. Anything to not have to acknowledge the growing fear inside herself, that her ' _Happily Ever After_ ' was just a dream after all.

"I know you do," Harry answered, unable to bring himself to tell her that it was he that no longer loved her, at least not in the manner in which she deserved to be loved. Certainly not in the way that was called for between a husband and a wife. "You'll always have a special placed in my heart," he told her, wondering if that had sounded as lame to her as it did in his ears. Rather than saying anything further, and not wishing to prolong what was painful for the both of them, he wearily got to his feet and walked around the table.

"Where will you go? What will you do?" Ginny asked as he stepped towards the floo. She knew the answers were none of her business now, but she asked the questions anyways. The young witch loved him and couldn't help but worry after him plus each question served to delay the inevitable and kept Harry there. It was a few more moments for them to be together, a few more seconds that he was hers.

Harry paused near the hearth of the overly large fireplace, his hand resting on the floo powder holder. "Grimmauld Place for now," he told her. "As for what I'm going to do, I honestly don't know," he said, a small, half-hearted grin appearing on his lips. "I guess that is the first thing I'll need to do, figure out what I want to do with my life. I never thought I would live through the war and haven't given it any thought."

Ginny stood and crossed to him slowly, her tear filled eyes taking in his features, trying to memorize each and every detail. The young heartbroken witch stopped just short of him. "I'm sorry Harry," she stammered as a broken sob escaped her lips. "I never meant… I just thought…," try as she might she couldn't find the right words to say what she felt. She didn't need to as Harry apparently knew what she meant. _He always knows what I mean_ ; she thought as the tears ran down her face.

Harry quickly pulled the crying witch into his embrace and hugged her tightly to him. "It's alright. I thought so too," he whispered reassuringly into her hair. They had both thought that with the war over everything would be perfect once again, only it wasn't. They had both grown and changed in ways that eventually set them apart from others as well as from one another. "I'm sorry it turned out this way, Gin. I never meant to hurt you," he professed.

"I know," Ginny sniffled as she clung to Harry. "You would never knowingly hurt any of your friends," she told him. "Promise me. Promise me you'll take care of yourself!" The young witch took a step back from Harry and made a visible effort to regain control of her emotions. "I know you'll be absolutely pants without me there to look after you," she joked in an attempt at levity.

"You know me, Gin, I'll muddle through somehow," Harry quipped back with a crooked grin. "Though it will be rather quiet without all the nagging."

Ginny's face darkened into a mock scowl for a long moment before they both chuckled. The two stood for several long moments just staring at each other before Ginny gathered her courage and said the hardest thing she'd ever had to say before in her life, "Bye, Harry."

Harry gave a slight nod as he replied, "Bye, Gin." With a bright flash of green flames, he was gone.

**-oOo-**

Harry Potter stepped from the floo and into number 12 Grimmauld Place. Since the end of the war, for reasons he did not know, he no longer had trouble maintaining his footing when traveling by magical means. Harry had lost count of the number of times he had come tumbling out the fireplace only to end up sprawled out upon the floor of wherever he was going. _I'm sure that did wonders for my reputation_ , he idly thought in passing.

"Master is home," stated a tired and withered voice. "Kreacher did not expect Master home for some time. Master was in the company of the nice Pureblood Miss. Will she be joining Master for dinner?"

"A change of plans I'm afraid, Kreacher," Harry replied to the old elf. "I don't think we'll be seeing Ginny here anytime soon. How are you Kreacher?" Harry enquired, genuinely concerned for the House Elf. This was the first time since the end of the war that he had been to Grimmauld Place. He felt slightly guilty for not having checked up on the old house elf sooner.

"Kreacher cleans as young Master has ordered," the elf replied. "Kreacher lives to serve the noble House of Black."

"Yes, I see," Harry replied, still not certain just how to deal with the old elf. They had not hit it off at first. Kreacher, out of love for his late mistress and Sirius' brother Regulus, had played a part in getting Harry to go to the Department of Mysteries that had ultimately lead to the death of his godfather. The destruction of Salazar's locket had been a turning point in Kreacher's attitude towards Harry. In the final battle of Hogwarts, Kreacher had led the school's House Elves into the fight against the Death Eaters and the gathered forces of Voldemort. Truthfully, Harry wasn't sure what to do with him. "How is Winky?"

There was a sudden small _pop_. "Winky is fine. There is lots of cleaning for Winky to do here. House is too dirty for Master to live in!" the female elf exclaimed as Kreacher shot her a glare for not allowing him to answer their Master's question. "Dobby say Master Harry Potter is a great wizard. Winky thinks Master should live in a much nicer home than this. Winky does not think this home would be suitable for Master's babies."

"Yes…well," Harry stammered, blushing red at the mention of _his_ babies, "this is what we have to work with for now," he stated. "I imagine it will be some time before there are any…um…babies."

"Winky hopes Master will have lots of babies! Winky does love to take care of the little ones. It has been so long since last Winky was able to," the girl elf rattled on in a dreamy tone that just screamed that she currently imagined a house full of babies for her to look after.

"I'll be up in my room," Harry replied, heading for the stairs to escape the topic of conversation. Once inside the master bedroom the young wizard seated himself at the massive wooden desk before pulling out a piece of parchment and quill. For the next several minutes there was nothing but the sound of the quill scratching out two letters. "Kreacher," Harry said once he was finished writing and had sealed the letters.

There was a soft _pop_ as the old House Elf appeared. "Master calls Kreacher?"

"Yes, thank you, Kreacher," Harry answered. "I would like you to deliver these letters. The first is to Headmistress McGonagall, and the other is to be taken to the Goblins at Gringotts. You needn't wait for an answer to either one." The old elf popped away with the letters. Harry wandered down to the kitchen to see what there was to make to eat only to be chased from the kitchen by an irate Winky who insisted that it was not Master's place to cook food. _And here I thought I owned this place_ , Harry thought to himself in amusement.

Harry settled in the library where he browsed the books there, spotting several he was fairly sure Hermione would enjoy. "If I let her in here I'd probably never see her again," he mused aloud with a warm smile at the thought of his dearest friend curled up on the couch with her head buried in a book. Hermione's presence in his life had been the one constant that he knew he could count on. Even Ron, his best mate, had left him a time or two over the years. Not Hermione, not ever. The young man that he had become still wasn't sure just what he had done to deserve someone as wonderful as her in his life.

"I miss her," he confessed, the words as they left his lips were filled with longing to have her there right at that moment. _Have I taken her presence for granted all this time?_ He wondered, feeling that he might have. Harry knew that he hadn't been the best of friends to her over the years. He had often sided with Ron in those early years when she and Ron got into a row. Later he had just stayed out of it, choosing neither side even though he knew that more often than not it was, in fact, Hermione that had been the one in the right.

The last year at Hogwarts he had paid her and Ron both little attention. Fifth-year with Umbridge and then the potions book had been a major catastrophe. _Hermione's incessant badgering about the Half-blood Prince's book didn't help any._ Their sixth year he had been so certain that Malfoy was up to something that it was all he could focus on at the time. Between that and attempting to get the information from Professor Slughorn for the Headmaster he'd had little time for anything else.

Their months on the run had been even worse of course with both of them fearing for their lives. There had been hardly any time for the two of them to be just friends as they were focused on figuring out Dumbledore's clues and destroying the Horcruxes. The one peaceful moment had been when they had visited his parents' graves. The young wizard smiled warmly recalling the wreath of flowers Hermione had conjured. Standing there in the falling snow, arm in arm, talking to his parents had been one of the most perfect moments in his life. "I'm so glad I got to share that with Hermione instead of someone else," he mumbled aloud.

"Bloody hell, what am I thinking!" Harry exclaimed, quickly running a hand through his messy hair. "I mean it's Ron she fancies," he reminded himself, stomping down on the more than sisterly thoughts he was having about his best friend. Harry tucked away the memory, knowing it would none the less make for an impressive patronus when next he needed one. "Right then. I've got enough to worry about without having to think about if I fancying my best friend or not," he said with a mental shrug to shake off his previous thoughts and the blush he felt on his cheeks.

Winky appeared with a small _pop_ carrying a tray of food. "Master and Master's Missy Granger would make lots of nice babies," the elf offered as a table appeared, and she set the tray upon it next to Harry. "Winky has no doubt that they would grow up to be powerful witches and wizards just like Master and his Missy Granger."

Harry paled wondering just how much of his conversation with himself the elf had heard. Try as he might to prevent it, the image of what their babies might look like suddenly appeared in his head. Brown eyes and bushy black hair that could never be tamed crowned the small face that so much resembled Hermione's that he couldn't help but smile at the thought. Harry hastily shook his head to clear the image. "Yes, well, it isn't likely to happen," he informed the baby loving elf. "She fancies another," he hastily added as he reached for a sandwich from the tray.

Winky gave the wizard a look that women the world over have been giving men since the dawn of time when they thought they were being particularly daft. "Would Master be needing anything else?" she asked instead of getting involved. It wasn't her place to inform her master of what he couldn't see right before his eyes. She could see that his Missy Granger was in love with her Master. She might be an elf, but she was also a female and women just know those sort of things.

"What do you think I should do, Winky?" Harry asked because he had no clue what to do with himself. His entire life had apparently all been a part of some greater plan engineered by Fate and Professor Dumbledore. Now that he could do whatever he wanted to, Harry found that he had no idea where to begin. There were far too many possibilities for him to choose from. Being an orphan and growing up without anything that could remotely be called normal left him ill prepared to live a truly normal life.

"Master should be having lots of babies," Winky instantly replied as if it was an obvious answer. "Winky loves to care for the little ones." To the elf, there was nothing more important or enjoyable as raising babies. "Babies will keep Master busy," the elf assured him.

Harry blushed at the thought of babies, and an image of a breathtaking, and very pregnant, Hermione suddenly appeared in his head. _Great! Every time she mentions having babies I'm going to think of Hermione now!_ Harry cleared his throat nervously as any young man of his age would when told to have babies, "Yes, well, perhaps other than that," he suggested.

The house elf looked thoughtful for a long moment before glancing about. "Master needs a new home. This one no good for babies Winky thinks." Harry could only chuckle and shake his head in disbelief as the house elf disappeared with a _pop_. "She's persistent at least," he said with a chuckle.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is a new story, but one that has been bouncing around inside my head for a while now. I promise it won't be as angsty as my last one "What the Heart Wants" was, regardless of how this first chapter went. I know basically what will happen already. I say 'basically' as my characters tend to write themselves at times and have been known to write their own story, regardless of what the Muse or I want. This one will be haremish in nature, though I'm not certain just how far down that rabbit hole it will go.
> 
> For what it is worth, the first four chapters of this are already written. I'll say now that I don't know what the update rate on this story will be as I have a number of other projects running alongside this one at the same time. For those following my other stories, Chapter 20 of "I, Alone" is nearly completed and chapter 21 of the same story has already been started. As I mentioned, the Muse had been rather busy. The only downside is that she has been like a kangaroo on an electrified floor…jumping all over the place.
> 
> As always, your reviews are not required, but they are greatly appreciated.  
> Kind Regards,
> 
> EJ Daniels
> 
> All characters within this story, unless otherwise stated are the sole property of J. K. Rowling the original writer of the Harry Potter series.


	2. Paying the Piper

**Chapter 2 – Paying the Piper**

**. . .**

Headmistress McGonagall sipped her tea before setting the cup back upon her desk. Though she had moved into the office that had been Albus Dumbledore's she hadn't made any significant changes to it. Not being familiar with many of the Headmaster's devices she didn't want to risk damaging them by relocating them before she could ask him about them directly. A glance at the wall showed the former Headmaster still sleeping in his portrait. All she could do was wait for him to awaken as the time for that varied from portrait to portrait.

The elderly witch sighed softly to herself as she missed her friend and mentor. Severus Snape, though Headmaster for a while, never had a chance to have a portrait made and so there was nothing left to remember him by except memories. Minerva wasn't certain how she felt about that after what Harry Potter had told her of the late Potions Master. _Such a brave, foolish man_ , Minerva mourned. She knew she would miss their verbal sparring matches.

The work over the summer had been long and arduous, even with dismissing the students a month early. Repairs to the ancient castle, even with the use of magic, hadn't been easy. The staff, as well as all the school's elves, had worked tirelessly through the weeks and months. The living areas were the first to be repaired. The Gryffindor tower had to be rebuilt nearly from the ground up. A team of dwarves had been hired to quarry stone blocks as well as perform the other masonry work that had been required. The new stonework was much lighter in color, providing a stark contrast to the old weather worn stonework that had stood for ages. It was a glaring reminder of the battle that had raged that fateful day when Voldemort and his forces had attacked.

The staff and elves had concentrated on the interior of the castle, leaving the exterior to the Dwarves who knew their work best. Much of the furnishings and other ancient décor had been lost to the many fires that had raged through the castle. Even though the structure was made of stone, the majority of its contents were not which had allowed the flames to spread fairly rapidly. Minerva could only shake her head sadly at the loss of those treasured artifacts, portraits, and prized tapestries. _Several centuries' worth of history lost to the whims of a delusional madman_ , she bemoaned silently. If it hadn't been for the heroic actions of Irma Pince and the school's second and third-year students the entire library of Hogwarts might have been lost to flame.

Once the living areas had been repaired and were once again habitable, their efforts had turned towards the great hall. The enchanted ceiling had ceased to function, most thought it damaged beyond repair. As none knew the spells used to create it in the first place, Minerva could only hope that one day it would start to work on its own once again. The transfiguration teacher suspected that parts of the castle were healing themselves, though she couldn't prove it directly. Several times they had stumbled upon rooms filled with furniture of the exact kind they required to furnish some area or another. Hogwarts was helping them repair her, the Headmistress was certain of it.

Thankfully the kitchens hadn't been damaged which meant that the school elves were able to continue to feed everyone through the summer. The classrooms were the last areas to be fixed, with many of them getting a much-needed overhaul to make them more modern, at least modern by Wizarding standards. The great stairway had been severally damaged as well and for a span of time brooms had to be used to move from floor to floor. Eventually, the sections of stairs had begun to move again, abet a great deal slower than before.

The soft _pop_ of an arriving house elf pulled the Headmistress from her thoughts. "Kreacher?" Minerva said in confusion as she set her cup of tea down, having just picked it up for a sip. Having been a member of the Order of the Phoenix, the elder witch was well familiar with the old elf from her time spent at #12 Grimmauld Place for meetings.

"Headmistress," the elf in question replied with a respectful dip of his head. "Master has asked that Kreacher deliver this to you," he continued with as he held out the sealed envelope.

"Thank you, Kreacher," Minerva replied, accepting the letter. Before she could say anything further, the elf disappeared with a small _pop_. "Never did like that elf," she mumbled to herself as she turned the envelope over and extracted the letter within before reading it.

_Dear Headmistress,_

_I hope this finds you well, Professor. I know you've been working rather hard all summer to repair the school so that you can open on time. I am sorry that I couldn't offer you any assistance with what I am certain was a monumental task. For reasons which I am confident you will understand I just couldn't bring myself to be there._

_Regrettably,_ _it is for those very same reasons that I feel I must decline your generous offer. I will not be returning to Hogwarts for my last year. It would be far too difficult in both the memories that Hogwarts now holds as well as in the distraction I feel I would most certainly present to the other students. That would not be fair to them or to the Professors attempting to educate them._

_I am not yet sure what I shall do with myself, though I know it won't have anything to do with the Ministry. I've had my fill of fighting and think I may want to just lead a quiet, peaceful life. Whatever I do and where ever I go I know that I shall look back fondly and try to remember the good times at Hogwarts and the wonderful professors there, such as yourself. Thank you for everything._

_Respectfully,  
Harry James Potter_

"Well, I can't say that is a surprise," Minerva mused aloud. Truth be told, the new Headmistress had worried about just how much of a disturbance Harry's presence would be at the school. Not that Minerva would have let that keep the boy from his education had he accepted. "I'm sure Ms. Granger would have kept most of them at bay," Minerva reasoned as she set the letter down on her desk before picking up her cup of tea once more. She well knew that many witches had their eye on the young wizard.

_If anything having Harry here would have sheltered him from the press that will certainly be hounding him_. "What a circus that would have been," Minerva realized, at the thought of the media waiting to mob Harry just as soon as he stepped through the portal onto platform 9 ¾. _Won't they be so disappointed?_ She thought with an amused grin. The smile disappeared the next second as she had another thought, "I hope Ms. Granger is taking the news well."

**-oOo-**

"HARRY!"

The wizard in question stuck his head out of the den shortly after hearing his name yelled through the house. "In the study, Hermione," he called out. He returned to the sofa and the opened book that was lying upon it which he had been reading just moments before. Harry could hear his friend stomping down the hall towards him. When the young witch entered the room, he could tell from her expression that something had happened. "What did Ron do this time?" he asked before Hermione could say a word.

"What? Ron?" she stammered, momentarily confused at the mention of their other friend.

Harry nodded as he explained. "You're clearly upset about something, so I just assumed," he trailed off with a slight shrug of his shoulder, hinting at the fact that Ron and Hermione seldom saw eye to eye. Harry well knew that they spent more time peeved at each other and avoiding one another than speaking these days.

"While Ronald is a right foul git this has nothing to do with him," Hermione clarified as she walked further into the room.

Harry carefully marked his place in the book before closing it and setting it aside. _Whoever she is mad at I'm just glad it isn't me_ , he thought with relief. Harry hadn't actually seen his best friend for the past week. Hermione had been spending some time with Luna, and then Harry had moved out of the Burrow after his discussion with Ginny. Ever since they had returned from Australia Hermione had been rather depressed due to her parents remaining behind. The arrival of the start of the school year had finally seemed to raise her spirits. The intelligent witch had been to see the petite Ravenclaw to discuss classes for the upcoming year. _Birds of a feather and all_ , Harry thought.

"How could you!" Hermione fumed. "Did you think I wouldn't find out?" she accused.

"Me? What did I do?" Harry pleaded as he got to his feet; having no clue as to what she was on about.

"Were you going to wait to tell me when we were standing on platform 9 ¾'s?" the angry witch exclaimed.

Harry suddenly understood what this was all about. "Look, Hermione, it just wasn't working with Ginny and me. I know it hurt her, but I just couldn't stay with her. What she wanted isn't what I want anymore," Harry said. "Ginny will be much better off now that we're broken up. She can find someone that will love her the way she wants to be loved."

"What? You broke up with Ginny?" Hermione asked, completely bewildered from hearing this. "No wonder she's been so quiet the past few days," Hermione gasped, suddenly realizing what the reason for the redhead's withdrawn behavior was. The witch, her anger forgotten for the moment, dropped onto the couch dumbfounded by the unexpected news. "Poor Ginny."

Harry sat on the edge of the couch next to her, facing the stunned witch. "It just wasn't working. I think we were together for the wrong reasons," he explained, running one hand through his messy hair. "Looking back on it, we probably shouldn't have gotten back together in the first place," he confessed. "The whole proposal thing was so she'd stop being mad at me for going to Australia with you."

Hermione reached out and took his hand in hers. "Oh, Harry! I'm so sorry," she said, feeling guilty for having asked him to go with her. She hadn't wanted to go alone, fearful her parents would be angry with her, and rightfully so. Ron, of course, had declined to go along as he was rather uncomfortable around that many muggles. Harry had agreed to go without even having to give it a moment's thought. "I should never have asked you to go with me. It was a waste of time anyways," she bemoaned, thinking about her parents who had remained there.

"Stop that!" Harry chastised her gently, knowing full well that she was feeling guilty. "Ron may be my best mate, but you're my best friend, Hermione. I wouldn't be much of a friend if I didn't go with you. I wanted to be there for you, like you always have been for me, and to help you find your folks. Sure they may not have come back with us, but at least now they know they have a beautiful daughter who's an amazingly brilliant witch."

Hermione looked down to her lap as she felt her cheeks blush at being called beautiful by Harry. It was the first time he had ever actually called her that, and she wasn't sure how to take it. "Well I don't know about the beautiful part," she said just to see if he would say anything else. It wasn't often that anyone complimented her, especially on her looks, and the young woman couldn't help but want to hear more.

"Are you kidding?" Harry asked in disbelief before reaching over and pulling her into a side-armed hug. "You're one very fetching witch, Hermione Granger. Someday some bloke is going to find himself the luckiest man alive when you give your heart to him," Harry told her in no uncertain terms. "That's assuming he can get past me," he added with a playful smirk.

Hermione sat there for a long moment as her pulse raced and her face turned several shades of red. "I...I am a pretty good witch, aren't I?" she asked in the lengthening silence. _I can't believe Harry thinks I'm fetching. I didn't think he even noticed I was a girl._ Beside her, she felt Harry nod in agreement before he dropped his arm from around her shoulders, much to her chagrin. Hermione nudged the wizard in the side. "Since when did you become so suave with the ladies?" she asked, looking up with a teasing grin and hoping that her face wasn't as red as it felt.

Harry smiled back, not really certain what the witch meant by suave, and completely clueless as to Hermione's blush. "Just stating the truth is all, Hermione," he replied, glad that she wasn't angry at him for breaking up with Ginny. "So how are things at the Burrow?" he asked as he sat back on the couch.

"Well enough, I guess," Hermione replied as she sat back and stared down at Harry's hand which she still held. "Mrs. Weasley was a bit put out that you left without a word and all. I don't think that Ginny has told anyone about the breakup. At least not from what I can tell. Tomorrow I'm off to board the express."

Harry chuckled softly. "None of the Weasleys have come by to box my ears, so I guess she's keeping it to herself. I'm sure she doesn't want to be questioned by everyone about what happened." The witch beside him gave a slight nod in agreement. "So what did the git do this time?" Harry asked with a chuckle, returning to the topic of their friend Ron.

"He treats me just like he does Ginny!" the irate witch huffed, though with less venom in her tone than she had used a few moments before. "When I told him he should return to Hogwarts and finish his last year of school he said it was none of my business and to sod off!"

"He didn't!" Harry gasped a bit more dramatically than was called for just to humor her. "I hope you gave him what for," he added.

"I did!" Hermione stated. "I told him he was right childish and that if anyone could use more schooling, it was him!" Harry mentally cringed knowing their ginger friend wouldn't have taken that very well. "The royal git said he didn't need any schooling to become an Auror and that Kingsley had made a special allowance for him. The arse took it too!"

Harry looked a bit sheepishly, having known of the offer and that Ron had jumped at the chance of not returning to school. "Kingsley made us both the offer actually," he confessed.

"Harry, you didn't?" Hermione exclaimed in surprise.

"What? No, I didn't take him up on it," Harry assured her. "I've had a lifetime of fighting and then some. I'm not certain what I'm going to do with my life, but it won't be anything to do with the Ministry that is for certain. I think it's time I found my own way in the world rather than have someone map it out for me. I've been doing some thinking the last few days, and I have a few ideas I want to look into."

Hermione sat there for several minutes, absently using her thumb to rub the back of the hand still held in hers. "So you're really not coming back to Hogwarts?" she finally asked, not wanting to look up and see the truth in his eyes. Harry not returning to Hogwarts was the original reason she had used the floo to come find him. The young woman couldn't help but feel dejected. It felt as though both of her friends were abandoning her.

It took Harry a moment to reply, being slightly distracted by what his best friend was doing to his hand and not knowing why it felt so wonderful. "I just can't do it," he finally admitted with a sigh of regret. "I really wanted to be there with you, Hermione. I truly did, but it is still too painful. If I did go back, it would just be one big circus what with the press and everyone else. I'm certain my presence would just be a distraction to everyone there. That's hardly fair to them."

Hermione's shoulders slumped in defeat, a fact Harry noticed and instantly felt guilty for. He hated to see her upset, especially when he was the cause of it. "I was actually rather surprised when you initially said you would go with me," she confessed in a quiet voice. "We both knew Ronald wouldn't go if he didn't have to. I thought it would be alright if you were there with me," she mumbled. "Whatever will I do without the pair of you?"

Harry gave the hand in his a gentle squeeze. "You'll be brilliant as always, Hermione," he told her in what he hoped was a reassuring tone. "You'll be Head Girl this year which will keep you plenty busy. Lots of broom cupboards to clean out and all. Without Ron and I there to distract you think of all the time you'll have to revise for your N.E.W.T.'s!" he exclaimed with a forced grin. "Not that you'll need it, mind you. You're certain to get all O's," he hastily added drawing a small, shy smile from his friend due to his praise.

"It won't be the same," she answered with sadly. "None of it will be the same without you there, Harry. We've been together almost every day for the last seven years, even spending summers at the Burrow! What will I do without you?"

"I'm going to miss you too, 'Mione," Harry said in a heartfelt tone of voice. "I'm certainly not looking forward to not having you here. Whatever will I do with all the free time now that I won't be revising?" he asked playfully getting a chuckle and a playful nudge from the witch next to him. "You'll be okay," he assured her. "Christmas hols will be here before you know it and we can get together then. You can even stay here with me! It will be just like old times."

"Promise?" she asked in a hopeful tone, realizing that there wasn't much she could do about the situation. Harry, she knew, could be very stubborn once he had made up his mind about something. Staying with Harry for the holidays at least gave her something to look forward to. She had been worried, with her parents remaining in Australia, just what she would do for the Yule break. At least now she knew she didn't have to stay at school.

"Promise," Harry confirmed with a nod just before he was engulfed in a Hermione hug that threatened to split him in two.

**-oOo-**

September first was a bright sunny Tuesday. Harry went through his morning routine before making his way down to the kitchen for breakfast. After a quick bite to eat, the young wizard used the fireplace to floo to the Leaky Cauldron before making his way to Gringotts. Upon reaching the first available teller and informing him who he was, Harry was shown to a spacious office not far from the main lobby of the bank.

Shortly after being shown to the office a well-dressed, slightly older as far as Harry could tell, goblin entered and addressed him. "Thank you for being punctual, Mr. Potter. Time is money as the Muggles say. I am Ragnok, the Bank Manager." It was very unusual for wizards to be on time. The goblins didn't mind as they simply charged the wizard or witch, at twice the rate, for the time they spent waiting and were happy to pocket the extra galleons.

"It is a pleasure to meet you Bank Manager Ragnok," Harry replied, attempting to be as polite as possible. The young wizard hadn't a clue as to what the proper manner was to address a goblin who was a bank manager, or any goblin for that matter. _I'll just treat him how I would like to be treated_ , he reasoned to himself. "Thank you for taking the time to see me."

"It is your gold, Mr. Potter," Ragnok replied, taking a seat behind the desk. "I assume you are here in reference to your letter?" the goblin asked as he opened a desk drawer and pulled out the letter in question before setting it on the desk before him. "I must admit that we were a bit surprised at your request."

"I would imagine so," Harry responded with, shifting a bit nervously in his seat. "I felt that something ought to be done on their behalf, Sir. As money is not apparently an issue, who better than I to do it? Was there any trouble with the Ministry?"

The goblin chuckled, or at least that is what Harry assumed the growl to be. "They were more than happy to be rid of them, I assure you. The fact that it cost them nothing was an added bonus as they saw it. Were you thinking of using the Black Ancestral Manor for their use?" Ragnok enquired.

"Grimmauld Place?" Harry asked with a frown at the thought of the dark and dismal place.

Ragnok chuckled again, or more correctly Harry assumed he did as it might have been a growl, he still wasn't sure. "Mr. Potter, while the building in which #12 Grimmauld resides in is, in fact, old, dating back nearly 150 years; the Black Family is considerably older than that, I assure you. The Blacks were one of the founding families after all. Being aligned with the darker side of your Wizarding world could you actually see them wanting to live with a bunch of Muggles as neighbors?" Ragnok chuckled-growled again, Harry thought it was a growl this time.

"Where is the Black Ancestral Manor at?" Harry asked in a rather surprised tone of voice. Ragnok's words made sense. From everything he had ever heard about the Black family, with the exception of Sirius and Andromeda, they had all hated muggles. _I wonder why I never realized before just how peculiar it would be for them to have a home where they would be surrounded by non-magicals_.

The bank manager opened the same drawer of the desk and pulled out another piece of parchment before setting it atop of the letter and looking at it. "It is located in Harlow, Essex. It is a nice piece of land with plenty of room to expand upon should the need arise. The back portion of it appears to be covered in a small forest. Apparently, there are muggle repelling wards in place to keep the locals away from the entire property."

"That does sound like it would do nicely," Harry agreed as he reached for and accepted the parchment from the goblin so that he could read it over. "Says here there is even a small lake and several house elves as well. I think this will do very nicely, Sir. I suspect it will need to be renovated and modernized, especially if it has sat unused for any length of time." _This is even better than I had hoped_ , Harry thought as a large smile appeared on his face at the fortunate turn of events.

"I'll see that the necessary paperwork is drawn up and sent to you for your signature, Mr. Potter," Ragnok said as he accepted the parchment back from the smiling wizard. _What an odd fellow_ , he thought. _He's tossing away thousands of galleons and seems rather happy about it._ Ragnok grunted in disbelief. The money was going to Gringotts so who was he to question the actions of another foolish wizard. _They're all a bit bent if you ask me!_ "Was there anything else that Gringotts could do for you today?"

"I am curious, I do not want to intrude upon them; however, is there some available land close to where they will be?" Harry asked. "I recently thought that I would like to live someplace other than Grimmauld Place. It would be nice to perhaps build a new manor house as I'll be giving this one away it seems."

"Technically speaking, Mr. Potter, you are not giving it away but rather loaning it out free of rent," Ragnok corrected him. _Bent, I tell you! The entire lot of them!_ "You still own Black Manor as well as the land it sits upon. The manor itself sits fairly well back and away from anything around it. The southernmost corner of the property brushes up against a Muggle neighborhood at that point. Would that be an issue? It would place the woods between you and the Black Manor, a bit of privacy for you both as it were."

"I don't suppose the Potter's have a manor house someplace I don't know about?" Harry asked with a questioning look. He had never heard of the Potters owning anything other than the house in Godric's Hollow, but that didn't mean anything. _I hadn't heard about Black Manor till just recently either_ , he thought to himself.

Ragnok reached once more into the desk drawer and pulled forth another document before looking it over quickly. Harry couldn't help but wonder just what else was in that drawer. "Apparently just the house you were born in, Mr. Potter, though now that is owned by the Ministry who claimed it as a historical landmark some years back. It seems that your parents liquidated all their assets before they went into hiding."

Harry thought of the house in Godric's Hollow and quickly realized that if he lived there, he would never get a moment's peace from gawking wizards and witches come to see where his parents had died. The town itself was quaint enough, but there were a lot of bad memories there as well. "Just as well," Harry said with a dismissive shrug. "Would I be able to get a Muggle postal address were I to build where the Black property meets the Muggle neighborhood?" he suddenly asked, not really certain why that was important.

The Bank Manager glanced at the parchment once again before giving a slight nod. "It is on a street named Westfield, so I don't see why not."

"Then let's go with that, Sir," Harry stated excitedly. "How soon do you think I will be able to move in?"

"Well, that depends," the goblin replied with a growl as he pulled out a stack of papers and set them before the waiting wizard.

"On what?" Harry asked as he glanced down and saw that the paperwork before him was, in fact, a contract.

"How much you're willing to pay of course," Ragnok replied with a wide grin, full of sharp teeth.

**-oOo-**

All told it had taken a little over two weeks. There had previously been a manor house at the location, it had just sat further off the road and faced the woods behind it rather than the muggle neighborhood itself. Not altogether surprising considering who owned the property. The muggle hating Blacks certainly wouldn't want to have to see the locals. The structure had been unused for some time and was rather rundown and dilapidated. The goblins gutted the building, leaving just the four walls. Even the roof was removed and replaced, enchanted to never leak.

The downstairs was left rather open as Harry liked it that way. The kitchen was on the back side of the house with a massive fireplace for cooking. A gas oven and stove were added as Harry just couldn't see himself cooking in the original fireplace. The dining room, which was adjacent to the kitchen, looked out through large French doors at the large expanse of woods on one side and the back garden on the other. A short walk down the hall containing a den and a sitting room and you stepped into the large spacious living room, which was yet unfurnished. Past that, through a large set of double doors, you would enter perhaps the biggest room in the house, the library.

Harry, thinking of his book-loving friend Hermione, had wanted the library to be something special and it was. The room itself spanned the entire height of the four-floor manor house, consuming nearly a third of the structure. Large stained glass windows dominated the outer wall of the room, allowing a flood of sunlight into the library for most of the day. Tall bookcases dominated the room, each with ladders affixed on wheels to be moved where needed to reach any book. There was a central sitting area furnished with comfortable chairs and couches as well as a large table and chairs.

Near the third floor of the manor, there was actually the second floor of the library. A staircase from the bottom floor of the library led up to the higher level. This secondary floor was filled with nothing but bookshelves separated by narrow walkways. It was designed so that the reader would retrieve a book and bring it to the bottom floor for reading. Harry already had the entire Black family library relocated as well as all the books he had discovered in the Black as well as the Potter vaults. He couldn't wait for Hermione to see the room!

The second floor of the structure was divided up into several large suites, each with their own sitting rooms. Generous use of expanding charms had been used to make the rooms bigger than they actually were. Each room was currently without furnishing with white walls and dark hardwood flooring. Each suite had its own bathroom with a shower that was separate from the large garden bathtub. The third floor of the manor was the same as the second, sporting six different, as yet unfurnished, large suites.

The final floor of the house was Harry's. He had the goblins leave it open in that there was no attic above him, just the roof itself. Massive wooden beams crossed the ceiling giving the space a very rugged appearance which the young wizard found appealing. One end of the floor housed the master bedroom with its large four-poster bed hung with red curtains sporting gold trim. In one corner was a rather large roll-top desk with a plush high-back chair set before it. A large wooden wardrobe and dresser filled a significant portion of the other wall.

There was a second set of doors which led out onto a porch which encircled the entire house except for where the library windows were. Each floor had a porch which did the same so that the occupants of any of the rooms could sit outside should they choose to do so. Stairs granted access on the outside of the house to the many porches with the exception of the top floor. The only way to access the porch around Harry's floor was from within the master suite itself. Beside the double doors in the master bedroom, there was also a set of doors from the adjacent room as well. The ground-level porch across the front of the house had been accented with stone columns and wide steps leading up toward the main entrance of the manor.

The master bathroom was layered in stonework to accent the rugged appearance of the entire floor. A glass shower stall was off in one corner beside a large tub that could easily contain several people. The young wizard had learned a long time ago the benefit of a long hot soak after a hard Quidditch match. The one item in the room that others might call opulent was the large fireplace in the wall directly across from the bathtub. The fireplace was also shared with the master bedroom on the other side of it.

The remainder of the walls were paneled in dark mahogany wood which matched the hardwood floors. There was a billiard table set towards one end of the room and a bar along one wall. The other half of the room was filled with a large couch and several chairs which faced the massive river-rock fireplace built into the wall. The appearance of the room, excluding the billiard table, was not all that different from the Gryffindor common room, though much more spacious thanks to the expanding charms.

There were two lower levels beneath the manor house which Harry as yet had figured out what he would do with. He was certain that one of them would become a sort of magical workshop for himself where he could practice spells and possibly dueling. Another area Harry was seriously giving thought to converting into a wine cellar. He had found just such a place under Grimmauld Place, and he didn't want the wine there to go to waste. Some of the bottles were so covered in dust that the labels couldn't even be read. For now, though, the basement floors were empty.

Not to be outdone, the grounds had been completely redone as well. A wide cobbled driveway now approached the house along one edge of the property and wound its way to the front of the manor where it circled a large decorative stone fountain. A tall hedgerow-lined the driveway, effectively obscuring what was essentially the garden from anyone visiting. The hedge was enchanted to not only prevent entry but also to prevent others from listening or seeing what was happening on the other side of them.

Harry stood just outside the main doors to the manor with the keystone to the wards in his hand as the last goblin portkeyed away. Before him in the distance were the woods that separated this area from the rest of the Black estate that he owned. Somewhere over there past the woods, was the Black Manor and his other project. _It is still too soon to worry about that, though_ , he reasoned silently. The young wizard eyed the lush lawn area between the edge of the cobbled drive and the distant forest of trees. "I wonder if there's enough room for a proper pitch?" he mused aloud before setting off in that direction to find out.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> First just let me say how heartened I am at the response to just the first chapter. It really was more than I could have hoped for. Now I just have to try and live up to the expectations of all of you! No pressure! :) This chapter was more along the lines of the set up for the story as Harry needed a new place to live (just ask Winky!) Next chapter will introduce our first additional witch to the story. There will be others as the story progresses, I assure you!
> 
> As always, your reviews are not required, but they are greatly appreciated.
> 
> Kind Regards,
> 
> EJ Daniels
> 
> All characters within this story, unless otherwise stated are the sole property of J. K. Rowling the original writer of the Harry Potter series.


	3. A Witch In Need

**Chapter 3 - A Witch In Need  
. . .**

Looking in the mirror once again, the Head Girl of Hogwarts adjusted the gold and burgundy badge on the front of her robes once more. Brown worried eyes gave her a critical once over to make certain everything was in place. _I'm the Head Girl and have to set the example_ , Hermione reminded herself. In the little over two weeks since the school year had started, she had lost count of the number of students and professors that had approached her. She was the only member of the Golden Trio who had returned to Hogwarts for their seventh year, and nearly everyone wanted to speak with her it seemed.

_I can see why Harry hates his fame so much_ , she mused as she turned away from the mirror and gathered her books for the morning's classes. The young woman was constantly set upon by other students. Some just wanted to talk while others didn't hesitate to ask what it had been like fighting next to _the_ Harry Potter. There was little regard for her own personal time to do her homework or anything else. The younger year witches stared at her when she walked past. Their innocent eyes opened wide with the hero worship they had for her. She soon discovered that the only way to get any work down was to hide in the Head Girl's dorm behind a password protected door.

"Who knew that without Harry here I'd be the center of attention," Hermione groused irritably as she placed the final book in her bag and closed it up. Hefting the full bag, she slung it over her shoulder, glad once again for the feather-light charm that had been cast on the bulging book bag. The Head Girl made her way down to the great hall for breakfast and managed to only be stopped three times along the way. Taking a seat at the end of the Gryffindor table Hermione filled her plate before slipping out her Ancient Runes textbook and opening it to that morning's lesson. _At least they'll let me eat in peace_.

Hermione sat and read while working on her toast and jam, a large mug of tea close at hand to help drive the last of the sleepy cobwebs from her head. About her the great hall began to fill with the students of all four houses, the usual buzz of conversations rising as more and more voices were added to the ever present din. Through the chaos which was the morning meal at Hogwarts, the mail owls suddenly flew in, delivering copies of the Daily Prophet, letters and parcels from home and loved ones.

A flutter of wings drew her attention from the book before her. A large black regal owl alighted upon the table next to her tea and held out its leg rather impatiently. Looking down at the proffered member she saw that there were a small parcel and a letter attached to it. Deftly untying both from the bird's leg Hermione looked at the letter and instantly recognized Harry's handwriting. The young witch smiled brightly before she hastily tore open the envelope and slipped out its contents.

_Dear Hermione,_

_It's only been a few weeks, but it already seems like a lifetime since I last saw you. It is more than a little peculiar not having you here. How are classes? Head Girl keeping you busy? Lots of little first years to chase after? I imagine it's a lot like herding cats. I know you'll set them straight and see they understand the proper way to revise. Repeatedly, as in over, and over and over again._

The young witch found her eyes watering up as she missed her best friend as well. Hermione could hear the teasing tone of Harry's voice when she read about revising. She had hounded Harry and Ron first year about their studies. _Well actually every year_ , she admitted with a small grin before continuing to read her letter.

_Before you think I forgot, Happy Birthday, 'Mione! I may not be able to be there with you, but that doesn't mean you aren't always here with me. Now I know that you have your hands full with the new students and cleaning up after them, so I got you a present that will help you straighten things out in a tic. You won't even have to get your hands dirty!_

Hermione glanced down at the small item wrapped in plain brown paper lying on the table. She could tell from the shape of it that it was a book. _How very Harry_ , the Headgirl drawled to herself while being none the less touched that he had actually remembered her birthday. Harry always got her a book, usually, one she had mentioned in passing that she wanted. It had become almost something of a game between them. _So far he is the only one who has remembered my birthday_ , she realized before reading more, trying not to dwell on that fact that Ron, as well as her own parents, had apparently forgotten.

_I am sorry it has taken so long for me to write but I have been rather busy with two different projects. I think you'll like them once you see what they are. No, I'm not going to tell you so you can just forget about asking me. I want to surprise you with them when you come visit for hols. A part of one of them was done with you in mind after all. Don't drive yourself barmy trying to figure it out. Even that beautiful brain of yours will never guess it!_

A scowl appeared on Hermione's face as she read his words. It wasn't long before her expression turned thoughtful as she tried to determine just what Harry's surprises were. Her mind raced off in several different directions as the possibilities were vast, particularly when Harry was concerned. "I bet that's exactly what he intended, the prat! He wants me to try and figure it out," she told herself with a small smirk at her friend's apparent duplicity. Knowing this, however, didn't keep her mind from still attempting to determine just what her best friend was up to.

_I'm off to Gringotts to see about some matters involving the Black and Potter vaults now that I'm of age. Sirius left me well enough off with the Black family inheritance, so I don't really need more galleons. Mum and Dad apparently sold off everything they had but the house in Godric's Hollow. I'm meeting with the Potter account manager to see just what that all is. I heard a particular witch's voice, who happens to be my best friend, in my head telling me I was stupid for not checking to see what was there. You've been a bad influence on me, 'Mione. I almost feel respectable and adult like! It's all your fault!_

The Head Girl chuckled as she could just imagine the look on Harry's face when he said those words. The two had been friends for so long that there wasn't any mannerism that Harry had that she hadn't seen enough times to memorize and call to mind as needed. _Serves him right_ , she thought with a satisfied grin. _It is about time he grew up. Now if I could just get Ron to do that!_

_Is it wrong to wish that the hols were here already? I good and truly do miss you! I must sound like a foolish boy, unable to go a few months without my best friend. Sorry about that. I know you're doing what is important to you and I support your decision completely. You wouldn't be the Hermione I know and love if you didn't want to go to school! Do take care of yourself and make certain you take breaks from revising to eat properly. Don't force me to tell Madam Pomfrey on you! Write back when time allows, and I promise to do the same._

_With Love Always,  
Harry_

Hermione's breath hitched in her chest, and her pulse raced as she read the last part over again ' _the Hermione I know and love_ '. The young woman read it over again and then one more time to make certain she didn't see things. _Just what does he mean by that?_ She pondered silently. _I mean I know he loves me…like a sister, though. Right?_ "Oh, I'm just being silly," she declared aloud as she closed her book with a snap. Standing she put her book away and made to fold Harry's letter when she saw there was something else.

_P.S. – Careful the owl bites!_

"Ouch!" Hermione squeaked as she yanked her hand away from the bird that had just bit her finger. "Ruddy bird," she whispered under her breath. "Go on," she said in a louder tone towards the owl while she made a shooing gesture. "I'll use a school owl when I write back to Harry." The black owl gave her a rather indignant glare before launching itself into the air and flying away.

Seeing Harry's gift lying on the table she picked it up and unwrapped it. The book, once free of the paper, grew in size till it resembled a proper size publication. Hermione looked down at the title and couldn't believe her eyes. ' _101 Household Cleaning Charms Every Good Witch Should Know_ ' it read. "The little prat!" she stated once again as she opened the front cover of the book to have a look. _I mean it is a book after all and there just might be something in here I can learn._ There, nestled between the hardcover and the first page lay the Marauder's Map.

"Oh, Harry," fell from her lips as she gently rested a hand on the treasured map that had belonged to James Potter and the rest of the Marauders. Hermione knew how much it must have cost Harry to give her the map. It was one of the few connections Harry had to not only his father but also his godfather as well as Remus Lupin. It was one of the few items, other than the invisibility cloak, that could be considered a family heirloom. "This will certainly make my job easier," she stated as she pocketed the map and added the book to her backpack for later reading.

**-oOo-**

Harry apparated into Grimmauld Place and then used the floo from there to travel to the Ministry of Magic. No sooner had he stepped from the green flames that he could hear the whispers as everyone recognized who he was. Offering small smiles and nods to those near him Harry hastened towards the security desk. The Ministry official at the desk just waved him through. "Aren't you going to check my wand?" Harry asked, holding out the well-used bit of holly to the man.

"N…no, that's quite alright, Mr. Potter," the man stammered as he tried to direct Harry past the station. "I think we all know who you are, Sir," he added hastily.

"But what if I'm not me?" Harry asked.

"Are you…well, you?" the man asked, leaning in and giving Harry a superficial once over.

"Of course I'm me," Harry replied.

"Right, then go ahead, Mr. Potter," the man said waving him pass, still without checking his wand.

Harry just sighed to himself as he realized that he was holding up the line. The fact that no one was complaining as they stood there and ogled their hero did nothing to make him feel better. Pocketing his wand again the young wizard made his way through the Atrium, glad to see that the "Statue of Might" that had been there at one time had since been removed. In the statue's place there was now a fountain that didn't exhibit any species but rather was charmed to play soft music meant to ease the worries of those listening to it.

Making his way to one of the lifts, Harry stepped in and turned about to make room for others only to see that those waiting weren't getting on the lift with him. Reaching up with a weary sigh the young man grabbed the strap and held on as the lift shot off. "Level Six. Department of Magical Transportation," a disembodied voice announced. The next hour was spent getting several floo addresses on the Floo Network from the Floo Network Authority office. The following two hours were spent at the Apparition Test Centre acquiring his Apparition license. Who knew there would be a written test as well as a practical one?

It was midafternoon when a drained wizard made his way into the main lobby of Gringotts. It had taken far longer than it should have walking from the Leaky Cauldron to Gringotts due to people stopping him and wanting to shake his hand. At the Ministry, people had just gawked and stared at him while here in Diagon Alley parents brought their children over to meet him, shake his hand and say hello. The Savior of the Wizarding world wasn't sure which he preferred less as he did not like being the center of attention, feeling rather undeserving of it.

Harry looked about for the first available teller and noted that none were free. Selecting the shortest line, he stood there waiting his turn. "Yes, I would like to speak to the Potter Account Manager," Harry told the rather tall goblin behind the teller window when it was his turn. The clerk took a look at him, his eyes growing slightly wider before he hurried down and ran over to another goblin. Harry watched as the two of them conversed in hushed whispers with the clerk from behind the teller window making several gestures in his direction.

The two goblins walked over towards Harry. Upon reaching the waiting wizard, the clerk resumed his place behind his window while the other one offered a toothy grin. "Mr. Potter, sorry to keep you waiting. I am Bogrod, the Floor Manager here at Gringotts. If you'll be so kind as to follow me, I'll show you to the Potter, Account Manager." After receiving a nod from Harry, the rather short and round goblin led him from the lobby of the bank. "Is this your first time meeting…your account manager?"

"Yes," Harry replied, wondering if he had imagined the slight pause before Bogrod had said _account manager_. "I know my parents left me a substantial sum of galleons and I thought it best to see just how much and what has been done with them."

"Very well," Bogrod replied. "It's nice to see a wizard so young taking such an interest in their finances," the goblin told Harry. The Floor Manager led the young wizard down a side hall before pausing before a door and knocking on it. After there was a sharp bark from behind the door, Bogrod opened the door and stepped in. "Mr. Harry Potter is here to see about the Potter holdings." Bogrod stepped aside and gestured for Harry to enter. "I'll leave the two of you to it then," he commented before slipping from the room and closing the door behind him.

The goblin seated behind the only desk in the room stood and walked around the bureau. "It's a pleasure, Mr. Potter. I'm Bob, your account manager. Please have a seat," the goblin said, indicating the two chairs situated before the desk. The goblin silently groaned when the wizard looked at him as if he'd suddenly grown a second head. _Here we go again_ , he groaned silently to himself while cursing his sister.

Harry walked over and took a seat as the Potter Account Manager returned to behind the desk and took his seat again. "Yes, so then…ummm…, Bob," Harry started with, his eyes looking anywhere but at Bob. _Seriously? His name is Bob? He has to be having a go at me_ , Harry thought to himself as he tried to wrap his head around the name.

"It was a wager," Bob said upon seeing the distracted wizard seated before him. "A rather poor one at that. I lost the bet, and per the agreement, I had to change my name to Bob."

"It must have been one hell of a bet, Sir," Harry replied without thinking about it much. The wizard heard the goblin mutter something that sounded suspiciously like ' _Tri-wizard Tournament_ '. _It's really none of my business,_ Harry told himself _. I probably shouldn't have said anything._ "I guess it could have been worse," Harry finally offered.

Bob gave a toothy grin and nodded his head in agreement. "You are correct of course. My sister is none too pleased being called Burt."

Harry decided it was better not to ask and to just act like everything was as normal as could be. "So, about the Potter account?" he said to change the subject.

Bob gave a short nod before reaching into the desk drawer and pulling out a folder, glad to be past the subject of his humiliating name. The goblin opened the full folder after setting it on the desktop, quickly reading over the first page with a glance. "Here you will find a summation of the Potter holdings," he said as he passed a piece of parchment over to Harry. "As you can see they have done rather well considering we did not receive further instructions on what to do with the funds."

Harry accepted the parchment and looked at the numbers on it. Other than the fact that the number were considerably larger than he thought they would be it was rather gibberish to him. "Sir, I'm not exactly certain what I am looking at here. Please assume I know nothing of these matters, which isn't far from the truth and explain this to me," Harry requested.

Bob leaned across the desk and began to point at items on the parchment. "This is a listing of investments your parents placed a portion of their funds in, Mr. Potter. While they did liquidate all their properties and material possessions, they didn't allow their gold to just sit there. On the contrary, they invested it into the muggle world as there is very little opportunity to do that in our world. Wizards have never really grasped the concept of ' _Return on Investment_ ' for some reason. Your late mother was not such a case."

"My mum was muggle-born," Harry offered as he looked over the figures once again. _Mum must have been a financial genius_.

"Then that would explain it," Bob replied. "She would have made a splendid goblin."

"So…," Harry started, digesting that last comment concerning his mother, believing it to be a compliment of sorts. "What does it all mean?" he enquired with a gesture towards the sheet before him.

"The short of it is that you and your descendants won't have to worry about your finances overly much. Granted, flippant spending could eat away all that has accumulated over the last two decades," Bob informed him. "The Potter business investments are handled through Lloyds of London and are currently valued at this amount," the Account Manager said pointing at a figure on the parchment. The finger traveled down to another significant number, "This is the Potter personal account handled by The Royal Bank of Scotland. Then there are the contents of the Potter vault here at Gringotts," Bob stated as he pointed out another figure on the parchment."

"Wow!" Harry exclaimed, sitting back in his seat for a moment. Seeing Bob look at him curiously, Harry explained, "I didn't expect it to be so much. After what I received from the Black family inheritance I thought this would be rather small in comparison." For a boy who had grown up with very little to suddenly find out he was rather wealthy, it was a little overwhelming, to say the least.

"The Black family, well certainly an old and wealthy family, were not inclined to invest their galleons," Bob explained. "Their only income is from tithings they receive from those renting land from them or from such families which are beholden to them. Had your mother had access to their galleons I can only imagine what their fortune would look like today."

Harry looked thoughtful for a long moment before he spoke. "You've been managing my family's account since my mum and dad set it up?"

"The account has always been there, Mr. Potter," Bob corrected him as the Potter account was an older one within the bank. "Your mother only changed how the galleons in it were used is all. She wasn't content to see them sitting and collecting dust. To answer your first question, though, yes, I have overseen the account since before you were born."

"Would it be possible for you to also handle the Black account? I mean in the same manner, you're currently managing the Potter account?" Harry asked.

"If that is your wish, Mr. Potter," Bob replied evenly with a predatory gleam in his eyes.

"What would it require from me for you to do so?" Harry enquired. "Do you get paid for your labor? Will this be adding too much additional work for you, Sir?"

Bob reached into the desk drawer once again and extracted a piece of parchment. "It would just require your signature here to transfer management of the Black family wealth to me," he answered, sliding the parchment over to Harry and then passing over a quill. "The pay doesn't matter," the goblin added dismissively, not wishing to divulge that as the account manager he would get a percentage of any profits the investments garnished.

"But I would hate to cause you additional work," Harry replied, pausing with the quill poised over the parchment, ready to sign. He couldn't fail to notice how the goblin's eyes never left the feather's tip where it hovered just short of where his signature was required. "Surely you must get something from this to be so willing to accept the additional labor I'm certain this will cause?"

"Well," Bob started to reply only to pause and lick his lips a bit nervously, realizing he was good and caught. "There is the matter of prestige. The ranking of one's clan within our kind is determined by the amount of assets we manage. My clan, and there by myself, would benefit in standing by assuming responsibility for the Black family wealth," he admitted. "If it were to grow as the Potter account has we could rise relatively high."

"I see," Harry said, having suspected something of the sort just from the goblin's behavior. "Bob, I've had a lifetime of people trying to manipulate me for their own reasons. Frankly, I'm more than a little fed up with it. If you are upfront with me, then I will do the same with you, Sir. Do we have an agreement?" Harry asked as he stared at the goblin across the desk from him.

"Very well, Mr. Potter," Bob replied. "Then, in that spirit, I will tell you that as your Account Manager I get three percent of all profits. Two of that goes to my clan, though."

"So if I make a profit you make a profit. Seems fair enough," Harry admitted as he signed his name to the parchment granting Bob control of the Black family wealth. "I don't have an issue with others getting ahead, I just don't like it when they try and hide it from me."

Bob accepted the signed parchment back and set it aside before reaching into the desk drawer and pulling out another folder. Placing the folder on the desktop atop the Potter one the goblin opened it and looked it over the Black account. Harry couldn't help but wonder if all the Goblin desk drawers were the same, recalling how Ragnok had managed to pull out the required documents at a moment's notice as well. "I see here that you've had a manor house renovated and that you intend to use the Black family manor for…," Bob looked up at Harry. "Well, that is a bit of a surprise."

Harry shrugged lopsidedly. "It seemed like the right thing to do. Someone has to look after them."

"Very well," Bob answered, not about to question the wizard that had just boosted his clan's status. "These are for the ward updates to the residence as well as your own," the goblin stated as he withdrew several forms from the ever bountiful desk drawer. "That one is to register your business with the proper departments at the Ministry. You're entitled to monthly compensation from the Ministry for the…um…service you're providing."

"I'm really not overly concerned about that," Harry started to say only to see the disapproving look on Bob's face. "But why turn away good gold I guess," he hastily added as he signed the form where instructed.

Bob reached into the drawer once again and removed a small envelope. "Here are your identification and bank cards for the Potter account at the Royal Bank of Scotland. There is also cards for Lloyds of London, though those are strictly for business use."

"Would it be possible to obtain an additional key to the Potter vault?" Harry asked as he had a thought, realizing that he knew of someone with no financial means at the moment.

"Yes, if that is your wish, Mr. Potter," Bob answered. "If you'll be so kind as to give me you current key?" The goblin accepted the key when Harry offered it and watched as a portion of the key seemed to split off. When it was done, Bob held the original key as well as a smaller one.

"Do you have a bit of blank parchment and a quill I can use?" Upon receiving the items, Harry jotted down a quick message before folding it and handing it to Bob. "Can you see that this, as well as the vault key, is delivered to Hermione Granger who is currently attending Hogwarts for her seventh year?"

"Most certainly," Bob assured Harry. "Is there anything else Gringotts can do for you today, Mr. Potter?"

"No, I believe we've covered what I meant to do today," Harry answered as he got to his feet. "Please keep me advised as to what you plan to do with the Black wealth as I am counting on a part of that for the project I'm working on," Bob assured him that he would before escorting Harry back to the bank lobby and parting ways with the wealthy wizard.

**-oOo-**

Harry stepped off the train and made his way towards the stairs like everyone else was doing. One thing he hadn't counted on was that his new home was far enough from London to be a bit of a pain to reach. Harry had used the floo to get to Grimmauld Place, but even that was only located in a suburb of the great city. Traveling on the tube was fun for him, though not as fast as apparition would have been he admitted. As he reached the top of the stairs, he stopped and stared, others shooting him a glare for blocking the way as they stepped around him.

_What is she doing here?_ He asked himself. There she was, sitting upon a trunk near the curb, watching cars and lorries drive past. The woman's robes would have fitted in perfectly if it was still the late 1800's. Passersby were shooting the out of place witch curious glances which she seemed to be oblivious to. It was hard not to recognize her after spending nearly six years with her at Hogwarts.

_It's not my concern_ , he told himself turning away and walking off down the pavement a bit. _But what if she is in trouble? Why else would she be sitting in the middle of muggle London?_ Harry paused as he fought with himself over what to do. _On the one hand, I could just leave her there. I mean she is a witch after all. It is not like she can't fend for herself if it comes to it._ The young man's noble side would have none of it. Harry turned about and shrieked, "Greengrass!" at the witch that was standing directly behind him, far too close for his liking.

The blonde witch squeaked in surprise, one hand darting towards her chest as if to keep her heart from leaping out of it. "Merlin's beard, Potter!" Daphne gasped in surprise. "Warn a girl before you do that to her! I liked to burst my corset from fright!"

"Sorry," Harry said a bit sheepishly as he took a small step back to put some space between the two of them. "I didn't expect you to be right there behind me."

"I thought I would save you the trip," Daphne replied, a smirk appearing upon her beautiful face. "I knew you wouldn't just leave me sitting there," she confessed, "So I followed after you so you wouldn't have to come back and get me."

"I had a good mind to do just that," said Harry. "I still might."

Daphne rolled her eyes. "We both know that you're far too kind and noble to do something like that, Potter."

As much as Harry wanted to refute her opinion of him, he knew that it was the truth. "So why are you sitting on your trunk in the middle of muggle London?" Harry asked instead to change the subject. He watched as the witch looked away in a slight huff. "Fine, if you don't want to tell me. Have a good day, Greengrass," Harry said as he turned about and started walking away again.

"Potter," Daphne made to answer looking at the wizard's retreating back. "Potter!" she snapped when she saw that he wasn't stopping. Lifting the trunk, Daphne quickly gave pursuit of the Golden Boy. "Wait up," she whined, the heels of her shoes tapping a quick pace against the pavement beneath them as she hurried after the departing Golden Boy.

"Why? You have nothing to say to me from the looks of it," Harry said over his shoulder as he slowed his pace a bit so that the trailing witch could catch up. "What you do in London is your business after all. No concern of mine," in a light casual tone of voice.

"Fine!" Daphne snapped. "I ran away. Happy now?"

That caught Harry's attention and caused him to stop. The young wizard turned to regard the Slytherin Queen as she dropped her trunk next to her. "You what?"

"I ran away from home," Daphne reiterated in a huff as she crossed her arms over her chest and refusing to look directly at him.

Harry's brow creased in confusion. "Aren't you of maturity, Greengrass?" he finally asked, almost certain that she was. The Slytherin witch mumbled something he couldn't quite make out. "I'm sorry, I didn't get that."

Daphne sighed heavily. "I won't be of age till after the New Year," she finally divulged, a bit embarrassed to have to admit to the wizard that she was underage.

"But then how did you start at Hogwarts with our year. If you're that young then you should have started with the following year of students," Harry said, stating the obvious. It was common knowledge that a witch or wizard must be eleven years of age and possess a wand to attend Hogwarts their first year. For those whose birthday fell just after the September first deadline, such as Hermione, it meant waiting an additional year.

"My father received an exemption from Minister Fudge so that I could start sooner," Daphne told him. "It is not unusual for Pure-blood families to do so if they don't want to wait another year. Actually, it just means that my father was tired of having me underfoot and wanted me out of the way," she growled, not wishing to admit that the realization had hurt when she had realized it several years previously.

"I doubt that. He is your father after all," Harry objected believing that all parents must love their children. _Even my aunt and uncle loved Dudley and doted on him because he was their son_. Harry had no doubt that had his own mum and dad lived they would have been kind and loving parents to him. That's what parents did after all.

"You don't know my father," Daphne corrected him. "Everything has a price to it, and if your price tag is not sufficiently high enough, then you are of no concern to him. My father is all about making money which is why the Greengrasses didn't choose a side in the war. It was far more profitable to remain neutral and help both sides," she told him in disgust.

There wasn't much Harry could say to that as he did in fact not know her father. There had been many families that had, for one reason or another, remained neutral during the war. Some were too frightened to declare for the Light, fearful of what Voldemort and his forces would do to them. Others who were traditionally of the smaller Grey alignment declared for neither the Light nor the Dark. "So you ran away to muggle London and hoped to do what?" Harry enquired with a slight grin.

"For right now I'll settle for a place to live and a bite to eat," Daphne replied earnestly, one hand coming to rest on her narrow waist. The young woman hadn't eaten a bite since that morning, and even then it had only been a piece of toast as she had been far too nervous, knowing already that she was leaving home.

"I'm sure you can afford a bedsit or a flat. How much do you have?" Harry inquired absently. He had no clue just how wealthy the Greengrass family was but figured if what Daphne said about her father was true then they should be fairly well off. The young witch should have no trouble affording a place.

"A couple of galleons. Is that enough?" Daphne asked hopefully, having no clue as to what things cost in the muggle world. Being from a wealthy family she'd never had to pay for anything herself.

Harry sighed heavily, "Not even," he told her. It never failed to amaze him just how little the Wizarding world knew or understood about the non-magical world. _I wonder if they realize just how big the muggle world really is?_ Reaching down he took her trunk from her. "Let's get you something to eat first," he told the distraught witch. "Why don't we step over to the alley over there and shrink this," he said, indicating her trunk. "I'm surprised you didn't do it already."

Daphne looked a bit embarrassed at his words. "I wanted to but…well…I don't have my wand," she confessed. "Father took it from me."

"Why would he do that?" Harry asked as he led her over to the indicated alley and then shrunk her trunk when no muggles were watching.

"So I wouldn't run away," Daphne replied in a tone that indicated she thought the answer to be obvious.

"Guess you showed him, huh?" Harry quipped as he handed her the shrunken trunk.

"So, where are we off to, Potter?" Daphne enquired, choosing to ignore his last comment. The pretty blonde witch slipped her arm through his as they started walking once again. "You look rather different in Muggle clothes," she added, giving him the once over.

"I tend to stand out a lot less than you do, Greengrass," Harry answered the witch. "If you plan on staying in muggle London you might want to think about updating your attire to match theirs. You may find you actually like their clothes better than what you're wearing now."

Waving a hand dismissively, Daphne replied, "I'll find someone from our world who will take me in. I'm certain Zabini will be more than glad to do so." The young witch tried to hide the shiver that ran down her body at the thought.

"That bad?" Harry enquired, noticing the witch's reaction to her own words. Harry hadn't had very much interaction with Blaise Zabini, or any of the Slytherins for that matter when he was at Hogwarts. Draco Malfoy saw to it that the Golden Boy's attention was more often than not focused on him and his cronies. While Zabini was in Malfoy's presence from time to time, Harry didn't think the dark skinned wizard was one of Malfoy's regular friends. If anything Zabini had struck him more as a loaner than a hanger-on.

Daphne looked thoughtful for a moment before she replied. "Zabini believes he is Merlin's gift to witches and that they all should just fall on their backs and part their legs for him. He's been trying for years to get me. He can become rather touchy-feely at times," she said, recalling with another shudder the last pawing she'd had to endure from the wizard.

Harry arched a brow. "Why in the world would you put up with such a thing?" Harry didn't doubt her words as they seemed genuine. _She would know better than I would_ , he reasoned as Daphne had been a Slytherin after all and would have firsthand knowledge of the wizard they were discussing.

"Better than sleeping on the street," Daphne told him. "I just have to make certain to remember to place a strong locking charm on the door to keep Zabini from sneaking in at night." _And hope that he isn't strong enough to undo it_ , she added silently.

The words just sort of slipped out before Harry could stop them. "You could come and stay with me." _She's just a young witch alone on the street and doesn't even have her wand_ , he rationalized. _How much trouble could it be? I'm sure Winky won't mind another mouth to feed till Daphne can find a place to live on her own._

Daphne's face lite up with a radiant smile. "Why thank you, Potter. I thought you'd never ask! Wait, you're not like Zabini are you?" she asked in a worried tone, giving him a sharp look.

"What? No, of course not!" Harry declared defensively, aghast at the very thought of forcing himself on a witch against her will.

"No," the young witch said thoughtfully, "I don't suppose you would be. Granger has you trained well I'd imagine."

"Huh? Hermione? What does she have to do with this?" Harry asked a bit more than confused by this point.

"Oh and clueless too. How cute!" Daphne answered with a grin, only confusing the wizard with her even more. "I believe you mentioned eating?" she reminded him with a disarming smile before he could ask further about his best friend.

"Yes, right," Harry stated, clearing his throat. "I was on my way to John Lewis over on Oxford Street to do a bit of furniture buying. I believe they have several excellent restaurants to choose from which we can eat at."

Daphne's eyes got a little glossy upon hearing his words. "Shopping?" she asked in a dreamy tone.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ….and so we begin...errr continue. I hope the chapter caused you a few chuckles or at least a grin or two. Thanks to everyone who has read along as well as followed or favored the story. Especially those kind enough to leave a review! I'm thankful to you all.
> 
> As always, your reviews are not required, but they are greatly appreciated.
> 
> Kind Regards,
> 
> EJ Daniels
> 
> All characters within this story, unless otherwise stated are the sole property of J. K. Rowling the original writer of the Harry Potter series.


	4. Dinner For Two

**Chapter 4 - Dinner For Two  
. . .**

"Winky!" Harry called as soon as he had gathered his senses after the apparition to his new home. The exhausted wizard, still holding onto the witch next to him from the side-along apparition, steadied Daphne for a moment before letting go of her arm. The two had spent the last ten hours shopping for everything from furniture for her rooms to clothes for the both of them. Harry was certain he hadn't felt this drained after defeating Voldemort. The plus side was that he now had a whole new wardrobe to wear. Truth be told, he was more than a little amazed that Daphne didn't seem to be tired in the least, quite the opposite actually.

The young man wouldn't have guessed that there was such a variety of clothes in the world. It was a fact that Daphne had seemed to be equally surprised about as well. The Wizarding world was not apparently well known for bright colors or fanciable styles unless one were to count the former Headmaster's robes. Their longest stay in one place had been in a women's undergarments store of all things. Actually, Harry had remained outside looking in every direction other than through the glass windows at the scantily clad manikins wearing very provocative unmentionables. His one brief glance had led to some rather stark and uncomfortable thoughts of the witch with him dressed as such. Daphne had emerged two hours later to fetch him to pay for her items which were thankfully already bagged.

"Master Harry called Winky?" the small house elf enquired after appearing with a little pop. ' _Master Harry_ ' was the term of address the two of them had finally agreed upon. The diminutive creature would not hear of calling him anything that didn't contain the word ' _Master_ ' in it. Daphne couldn't help but stare at the elf who was wearing a dress with the Potter and Black coat of arms stitched over the left breast. The young witch found it unusual to see a house elf properly attired.

"Yes, Winky," answered Harry as he started to pull shrunken items from his pockets and handed them over to the elf. "Ms. Greengrass will be staying with us for a while. Please show her to one of the suites on the second floor and assist her with the furnishings and decorations she's selected. If she needs anything, please see that she has it. We want to make certain she is as comfortable as possible."

"Winky will help Master Harry's pretty lady," the elf replied, accepting the small items from Harry. "There was a letter which arrived for Master Harry while he was out. Winky placed it upon your desk."

"Thank you, Winky," Harry offered with a smile at the elf. "Daphne, she'll help get you settled." The young wizard watched as the two ladies walked off, one following the other. With that task taken care of, Harry apparated up to his own suite on the top floor and walked over to the large desk there. Lifting the letter which was waiting for him, he eyed the handwriting for a long moment, not recognizing it. Harry knew that Winky would have already tested it for anything harmful before leaving it for him. With a dismissive shrug, he opened the letter and read it.

_Mr. Potter,_

_Though we have not met yet, I felt it was important to contact you concerning my grandson, Teddy Lupin. Dora and Remus both spoke very highly of you and Ms. Granger. They both cited you as godparents in their last wills. In part that is why I am contacting you now. I would like to meet with you to discuss Teddy's future and the role that you will play in it. While we are no longer a part of the Black family, it seems we will yet be a part of your life._

_Sincerely,  
Andromeda Tonks_

"Must be Dora's mum," Harry muttered aloud. He already knew that Remus had selected him as Teddy's godfather as the former professor had previously told him. The fact that Hermione had been chosen by Tonks as Teddy's godmother was news to Harry. "I wonder if Hermione knows." The young wizard smiled at the thought of how happy the news would make his best friend. Vaguely he recalled seeing Andromeda's name burnt from the Black family tapestry. Sirius had stated that it was due to the witch marrying a muggle-born wizard.

Harry sat down and quickly penned a reply to the missive before sending it off with one of the Black family owls that seemed to always hang around. The note was simple, inviting the older woman over for tea the following morning. As he was sending the note off a brown owl arrived and delivered a letter to him. One glance at the handwriting and he knew it was from Hermione.

_Dear Harry,_

_Thank you for the birthday gift! I'll be sure to put it to great use as the first years can be rather messy. Always spilling this or that. Were we really every like that? All those cleaning spells will be put to good use, I am certain. Thankfully you included that blank bit of parchment as well as just yesterday one of the firsties managed to spill ink all over my roll of parchment. You're a lifesaver!_

Harry couldn't believe what he was reading. _Did she not know it was the map? Certainly, she is bright enough to recognize it._ The young wizard worried that the witch had in fact used the enchanted map to write one of her lengthy essays or perhaps one of her infamous lists. _She must be having a go at me_ , he determined. _She wouldn't have done that. Right?_ Still wondering, he continued to read the letter from his best friend.

_Being here without you feels more than a little strange, Harry. I find myself turning to share some thought with you or show something to you only to see someone else sitting in the chair beside me. I know this might sound a bit silly, but I miss having my best friend here with me. Hogwarts just isn't the same without you here. I must sound just like one of those sappy girls! Do I? Sorry to unload that on you, especially given how you feel, but I wanted you to know how I felt just as you did when you wrote me. I'm glad we needn't worry about secrets between us._

Harry shook his head in answer to her last question and comment. He knew the comment about secrets was concerning his project at which he had only hinted at in his letter to her. _She misses me_ , he told himself, not really able to believe it. A small part of him noticed that she hadn't mentioned missing Ron. This revelation made him feel both happy as well as confused inside. It was a feeling he was beginning to equate with girls that he had more than a pacing fancy in.

It was a short list consisting of Cho Chang, an exotic beauty if ever there was one. Luna Lovegood who had shown him there was more to the world than what you could just see with your eyes and touch with your hands. Also on that list was the Slytherin witch currently two floors below him. He, like every boy at Hogwarts, had admired the oldest of the Greengrass sisters whenever she had sauntered past, not that the youngest of the pair wasn't a fit bird as well. There were other beautiful girls at Hogwarts such as the Patil twins, Susan Bones, Hanna Abbot and Sue Li but Harry hadn't actually very well acquainted with them. Mentally he had at some point added Hermione Granger to his short list of those that caused that strange and yet exhilarating sensation in him, he just wasn't certain exactly when that had happened. It was almost as if she had always been on that list and he just hadn't known it.

_Being Head Girl has kept me busier than I thought it would. Besides overseeing the Prefects, we also have regular meetings with the Headmistress and several staff members. As much as I miss you, Harry, I think you may have made the correct decision in not returning. Just being one of the Golden Trio has seen no end to the number of people who feel it is perfectly allowable to sit down and start asking me questions about all that happened. I can only imagine what it would be like if you were here. The disruption would be tenfold, I am certain._

Harry couldn't help the small smirk that appeared on his face. The young wizard had very little doubt of the pandemonium that would have erupted if he had returned to Hogwarts. _Besides, it is about time Hermione got the acknowledgment that she deserves_ , he thought to himself. _I wouldn't even be here if it wasn't for all her hard work yet I was the one always getting all the attention. She certainly did more to beat Voldemort than I did_ , he surmised silently.

_Before I forget, I wanted to say thank you for the access to your vault. I was immensely touched by your kind gesture and generosity. I guess I should have expected such from you, Harry. Truthfully, I was worried about how I was going to buy the additional books that I wanted to get. Just a few, mind you. No more than a dozen or two for certain. Before you even think it, this is just a loan, Harry. I fully intend to pay you back every knut! Still, it was terribly sweet of you to be thinking of me. You really are one of a kind, Harry Potter!_

_Love Always,  
Hermione._

Harry's mouth went dry, and his heart seemed to do a little jig in his chest before his rational brain kicked in. _Of course, she loves me like a brother. Why would it be otherwise? It is Ron she's fancied all this time._ Glancing down he noted the postscript with a grin.

_P.S. Yes, of course, I knew the parchment was the map. Thank you for trusting me with it, Harry. It really means a lot to me. Only ninety-six days till the holiday break! Not that I'm counting or anything!_

Setting the letter aside the young wizard smiled sadly, a small pain of regret blossoming in his chest for not being there with her. "Ninety-six days and counting," Harry said aloud. "It will be here before I know it," he added in a bright tone of voice trying to convince himself of the fact. In an attempt to distract himself, the young wizard selected a clean bit of parchment and put quill to it.

_Dear Sir,_

_I recently chanced upon your daughter, Daphne, upon the streets of muggle London. I have offered her the hospitality of my home, to which she has accepted. I will see that she is well cared for while she is in my care. I will protect her with all that I have should the need arise. In speaking with the delightful woman, it was brought to my attention that she did not possess her wand currently, having left it at your residence. I would like to request that you send it to her at your earliest convenience as it is not proper for a witch to be unable to defend herself should the need arise._

_Sincerely,  
Harry James Potter_

Harry folded the missive, sealing it with the Black family crest, feeling it might carry more weight than the Potter one, being an Ancient and Noble house. Another of the Black family owls appeared as if sensing his need. The young wizard attached the letter to the bird's leg, all the while missing his snowy familiar, Hedwig. "Please deliver this to the Greengrass residence," he instructed the owl before sending it off.

Harry left his quarters and headed downstairs where he ran into Daphne also traversing down to the main floor. The young blonde witch gave him a cold, slightly curious, look. "All settled?" Harry enquired politely, not sure what to make of the witch's expression.

"Yes," Daphne answered after a pause and another glance towards the young wizard beside her.

"What?" Harry finally asked after enduring that same look several times as they descended the stairs in silence.

"I had the most enlightening talk with your house elf, Potter," Daphne confided. "It seems that she was very delighted that her Master Harry took her advice and acquired a new home. One that she deemed was far more suitable to have lots of babies in."

The young man's cheeks grew warm as the blood rushed into them. "Yes, well, Winky believes that the only proper house is one overflowing with babies for her to tend to," Harry stammered out without looking towards the witch next to him. "She did mention that my former residence was poorly suited for such an endeavor."

"If you think for one moment that you allowing me to live here will make me feel beholden to you, Potter," the irate witch suddenly decried as she rounded on him with a steely gaze, "you had better think again! I may appreciate your generous offer of living accommodations, even your extravagant shopping trip, however that is nowhere near enough to give you a child! If you're so foolish as to try anything, I'll hex you so horribly that even Granger won't be able to fix you!"

Harry's jaw dropped at the unexpected outburst which completely blindsided him. "What? No!" he loudly declared once he got his voice working again after the initial shock. Silently he was rather thankful that Daphne didn't currently have her wand as he was fairly sure she would have commenced early with the aforementioned hexing. "Winky is the one with the baby obsession, not me," he told her earnestly.

Daphne eyed him threateningly as she weighed his words, judging the truth of them. "So you don't want any babies?" she pressed. It wouldn't be the first time a wizard had expected favors from a witch in return for hearth and safety. Zabini was regrettably not the first to attempt to have his way with her. Malfoy had that unpleasant distinction. She knew she had been fortunate to escape with only a pawing at the time. Being here within Harry's house and without her wand, she doubted she would fare so well should he try the same thing. That thought alone, the sheer helplessness of it, scared her more than anything.

"No. Not now or ever," Harry confirmed, aghast at the thought. "Not with you," he added only to see the young woman's eyes darken and narrow to angry slits.

"Why not with me?" Daphne snapped. "Aren't I good enough for you, Potter?" she fumed upon being slighted in such a manner. _I'm the daughter of a Pureblood family that is nearly as old as the Blacks after all. How dare he think I would be unfit to mother his children!_ It injured her pride as well as her ego to believe that anyone would not find her suitable as a life partner. The fact that she had just a moment before been ready to hex him for the very same thing didn't seem to figure into her thoughts now.

"Yes. No. I…I mean I hardly know you, Greengrass," Harry stammered, trying desperately to backpedaled in the face of the angry witch's temper. "We've barely spoken to one another in all the time we attended Hogwarts. I know next to nothing about you. I would never force something like that on you, or anyone for that matter!"

Daphne eyed Harry critically, undecided which hurt more, the thought that he had brought her there to have his way with her or the realization that he hadn't and as unbelievable as it seemed didn't want to. Harry was rather fanciable she thought as well as one of the most sought after bachelors in Britain after all. "So no little Potters or Blacks running around?" she enquired, backing off a bit and assuming a less threatening stance.

"No," Harry was quick to reply. "Someday maybe, but certainly not right now." Seeing the witch arch a brow in question he continued to explain. "I mean that eventually, I want a large family. I'm an only child as my parents died before they could give me any siblings. I don't want my kids to grow up all alone like that should something happen to their mother or me, or heaven forbids to the both of us. I don't have any other family, so it will just be me, whoever I marry and our kids. Someday I would like to have what I never had growing up, a large happy family."

"How very Weasley of you, Potter," the witch said. Turning and continuing down the stairs Daphne thought over his words before she continued. "I guess I can understand that. Astoria, while she can be a right pain at times, is still my dear little sister. I can't imagine what life would be like without her in it. While there are times I would love to kill her, the little pixie, I would most certainly kill anyone trying to harm her. I can only imagine what it must have been like to be an only child, especially without knowing your parents," the last was said in a sympathetic tone.

"I doubt my childhood was anything close to normal," Harry offered with a dismissive shrug as he followed her down and into the dining room where dinner would be waiting for them. Thoughts of the Dursleys, as well as the cupboard under the stairs he lived in, slipping through his head. "It would have been nice though to have someone my own age, who actually liked me, to grow up with." Harry suddenly recalled what she had said. "What did you mean Potters _and_ Blacks?"

Daphne paused near her chair, shooting him a glare till with a start he realized what she was waiting for and pulled out the seat for her. His actions, though delayed, earned him a small smile of gratitude none the less. Once seated and the chair pushed in with Harry's help she replied. "Word has it that you were left you the Black name," she stated with a look towards him for confirmation.

"Where did you hear that?" Harry asked, more curious than concerned. The war was over, and Voldemort had been defeated. There wasn't anything further to worry about but for the stray Death Eaters still out there. There were Aurors to deal with them, thankfully. Harry was still a bit cautious, though. Old habits die hard.

"Father," Daphne replied as if it should have been an obvious answer. "He likes to keep his fingers on the pulse of just about everything," she told him. "That is how the Greengrasses have survived the wars without choosing a side. It is more profitable to be neutral, as well as a great deal safer."

Harry seated himself, the food magically appearing and started to serve himself before he answered. "My godfather, Sirius Black, designated me as his heir apparently. I was unaware of this fact till after his passing."

"Sirius Black? The mass murderer?" Daphne asked in disbelief. She, like everyone, had heard the tale of the Dark Lord's right hand who had betrayed the Potters and ultimately opened the door for the Dark Lord to kill them. Daphne found it more than a little strange that the same man would have left everything to Harry, the son of the very people he supposedly helped murder.

"He was innocent!" Harry stated in a clipped tone. "He was set up for the murder of those muggles." The very thought of Sirius once more called to mind those final moments in the Vale room when Bellatrix Lestrange had cursed Sirius and sent him through the Vale. The by now all too familiar flicker of guilt sprung up in the young man's chest as it always seemed to do when thinking of his godfather.

"But your parents," Daphne pressed, realizing that it would be a tender subject for Harry, yet wishing to know all the same. She could tell from Harry's tone that he had some rather strong feelings where the man was concerned. "Didn't Black betray them? His actions lead to Voldemort being able to find them."

"Sirius was their friend," Harry told her, denying the claim that he had betrayed them. "He wasn't their secret keeper, Peter Pettigrew was. He's the rat that betrayed them all." While it wasn't common knowledge as yet, Harry saw no reason not to tell her now that the war was over. Everyone involved in the matter was already dead. He found it interesting that Daphne actually spoke the name Voldemort, unlike many others who continued to cringe at the sound of it. "Sirius had mum and dad use Pettigrew as their secret keeper as he felt everyone would expect that he was it instead."

"That does make a bit more sense," Daphne replied, calmly accepting his words as fact. "Father said before that your father and Sirius Black were as thick as thieves while at Hogwarts. He never bought into the whole betrayal thing." The beautiful witch continued to serve herself small portions of everything offered, only starting to eat once Harry had.

"You believe me?" Harry asked once he had swallowed the mouth full of food he had been chewing.

"What reason would you have to lie to me, Potter?" Daphne asked. "One thing going to school with you these past six years has shown me is that you are incapable of lying, even when it is in your best interest to do so. Fifth year if you had just kept your mouth shut about Voldemort's return I'm certain you would have had a much easier year."

"But he had returned!" Harry protested. "I couldn't just _not_ say anything! People needed to know!"

"My point exactly!" Daphne exclaimed with a victorious grin. "Honest to a fault. You wouldn't have made a good Slytherin that is for certain, Potter."

"The sorting hat wanted to place me in Slytherin," Harry told her with a smirk. Seeing the witch's look of disbelief, he continued. "If it hadn't been for meeting Malfoy just before the sorting I may have let it sort me there too."

"A pity," Daphne responded to his admission. "We could have been friends if you had been sorted into the house of silver and green."

"We should have been able to be friends regardless of which house we were sorted into, Greengrass," Harry told her. "I can't help but wonder just how many other friendships were missed out on due to house prejudices."

Daphne gave a slow nod of agreement. "I wish things had been different, Potter."

"What house are you in, Greengrass?" Harry asked in a suddenly smug tone, leaning forward in his chair and staring at her rather intently. It was apparent that he had realized something that she had not.

"Slytherin," Daphne replied hesitantly. "As I am certain you know, Potter."

"Wrong!" Harry corrected her with a grin. "You're sitting here with me now having dinner and the school year has already started at Hogwarts. That means that right now you're in the same House I am. None. Or mine if you choose to look at it that way," he added with a small chuckle. The witch looked thoughtful for a moment till she realized he was correct. "That means that we could be friends, Greengrass."

The former Slytherin gave him a long measuring look before she replied with, "Daphne."

"Come again?" Harry asked, uncertain just what she meant.

"If we're going to be friends then call me Daphne, Potter," she explained.

"Then you'll need to call me Harry, Greengrass," said Harry, only to realize how that sounded.

"You'd have to marry me before I could call you Harry Greengrass," Daphne replied with a chuckle at the double meaning to his previous words as well as the slight blush his cheeks took on at her retort.

"Likewise, if you wanted to be Daphne Potter," Harry deadpanned back in the way of a reply. Both of them looked at each other before breaking out into soft laughter. "Thank you, Daphne. I think I needed that," Harry finally said. It had been some time since he had last laughed in such an enjoyable manner.

"You're welcome, Harry," Daphne replied with a warm smile before they returned to eating.

"You still haven't told me what you meant by Potters _and_ Blacks," Harry reminded her, returning to his original request for clarification.

"Simply put, you're now the head of two houses," Daphne informed him of. "You'll either need to produce an heir for both houses, or you'll need to fold one house into the other. If you were to go that route then I would suggest rolling the Potter line into the Black family," she advised.

"I can do that?" asked Harry in disbelief.

"They're your houses, Harry. You can pretty much do what you want with them. If you don't like someone you can eject them from the House, essentially taking their last name from them. It's not done often these days," she told him. "The ability to do so though is mostly used by the Purebloods, so they'll be able to remove squibs from their families rather than having their existence tarnish their precious family names."

"Seems a bit unfair," Harry stated still mulling over her words. Ejecting a person from the family just because they were born a squib was a bit harsh in Harry's mind. Squibs were people to after all and could still be just as useful as anyone else as far as he knew.

"That is the Wizarding world. Those with the power make the rules, and it is usually rules that will allow them to keep the power they hold," Daphne replied.

Once the main course was finished and cleared away, Harry leaned back in his seat as dessert appeared. "If you don't mind me asking, why aren't you back at Hogwarts? Not that I don't enjoy your company," he hastily added before she could take offense. He had never really paid much attention to the others in school, but he didn't think the witch seated next to him was anything other than intelligent. It would have made more sense to him for her to finish out her NEWTs.

"Why aren't you?" Daphne asked, deflecting his question back at him. "Given everything that happened, I would have thought they would have made you Head Boy even."

"Headmistress McGonagall did offer to make me Head Boy," Harry admitted, a bit embarrassed by her guessing the fact. "After everything that happened there, I just couldn't bring myself to go back. Also, it wouldn't be fair to the other students. It would have been a madhouse," he assured her.

"I'm certain all the sixth and seventh-year witches will be heartbroken not having the Golden Boy there to gaze at dreamily," said Daphne with a playful smirk. "And here I am with you all to myself," she teased.

"I'm certain they'll do just fine without me there," Harry said as he felt himself blush. The thought of all those witches staring at him as if he was some prize stallion almost made him nauseous. They never saw him, just his name and his fame, two of things he would most like to do without. "All that Golden Boy stuff is rubbish, regardless of what they might think. I'm just Harry. They'll do well enough without me there."

"Even Granger?" Daphne continued to tease.

"Hermione?" Harry asked, a genuinely confused look appearing on his face. "She is the Head Girl this year. I'm sure she's rather busy. If I were there, I'd just be causing more work for her." He had no doubts that were he actually there at school that his best friend would be making schedules for them to revise their classes. That, as well as the study sessions, would just place more of a burden on Hermione than she already had. Once again he was certain he had made the correct choice in not returning to Hogwarts, though he actually did miss spending time with his best friend.

"Potter and Granger as Head Boy and Girl, now there is a surprise," Daphne quipped in faux disbelief. "I bet Granger is missing not having you there. Head Boy and Girl get a private suite of rooms after all you know?"

"I…I didn't know that," Harry admitted, nearly choking on his pudding. _I wonder who Head Boy is?_ "No, it's easier on everyone, the students as well as the professors and especially Hermione, if I'm not there," he finally decided and told her. Harry did miss his best friend as well as the other students from his former house. He realized that it felt a bit weird not being at Hogwarts. The school had been his home for six long years. It was by far and away more a home than the Dursleys had ever been.

Daphne decided to let the matter drop. "It was father's decision," she finally said in answer to his original question. "He felt that it wouldn't be needed. I had to fight very hard to even attend our sixth year as he originally wanted me to stop once I had my OWLs."

"Why would he want that?" Harry inquired with a puzzled expression.

"Truthfully I had no need of them once I had met the Ministry's requirement for OWLs." Seeing his still confused look, she went on to explain. "By law, all magicals are required to attend school till they have satisfactory sat their OWL exams. Those who are going to pursue a career in the Wizarding world are encouraged to continue on to achieve their NEWT level qualifications. Without NEWTs, there are very few career opportunities open to you."

"So why wouldn't he want you to have your NEWTs?" Harry asked still confused by her not going.

"I'm his oldest daughter," she explained evenly as if it was no great matter. "Father will sell me off in a marriage contract to further the Greengrasses standing among the Houses. It is Pureblood tradition to do so as he hasn't a male heir to carry on the family name so there is not much else he can do with my sister and me. He has to hope that whoever we marry will allow one of our sons to carry on the family name."

"And you're alright with this?" Harry asked completely aghast at the news. "He's treating you little better than cattle!"

"Actually animals are valued more by some families," Daphne responded matter-of-factly. "Harry, you must understand that women of the Pureblood families are little more than bargaining chips to be bartered and sold to further their families reputation and aims. No, I'm not happy about it," she answered his question with, "but at least I will be given to a house of equal or greater standing than our own. Some, no make that many, are not so fortunate."

"That's barbaric!" Harry exclaimed, leaning back in his chair, his appetite lost. "How can you sit there and talk so calmly about it?"

"Look, Potter, you were raised by muggles, and so you don't understand all our ways or traditions," Daphne told him. "The truth of the matter is, till I reach my majority there is nothing I can do. As I am underage, my parents have the right to decide everything for me. Where, when and even if I go to school, even whom I am to marry if they so choose. Part of the reason I left home was due to father wanting to force me into a marriage contract with someone other than the one I love."

Harry couldn't really argue with the witch as he did not know the laws of the Wizarding world. That didn't stop it all from sounding like something just this side of slavery. It disgusted him to think that such practices were still in existence. Harry wasn't certain which he adhered more, the fact that the practice still existed and was in use or the fact that Daphne seemed rather blasé about it.

"I wouldn't be surprised if several families approached you with contracts, Harry," Daphne went on to tell him. "You _are_ the head of two very prominent families now, not to mention the savior of our world. Given that, there isn't a better potential husband in all the wizarding world. The other Pureblood families will no doubt be trying to get to you both for your status as the one who defeated the Dark Lord as well as your ties to the Black line."

"There is no way I would accept a marriage contract!" Harry told her firmly. "When I marry I want it to be because the woman loves me for me and I love her. Not because of what it can do for someone's family!"

Daphne eyed him for a long moment, able to tell from the tone of his voice that he was dead serious about never accepting a marriage contract from anyone. Sadly she knew that not everyone could marry for love. If they could, then she would be able to marry the person she held in her heart. "You should probably hire a good solicitor then. Some of those contracts can be rather tricky in how they are worded I've heard. There is more than one way to get tied into a marriage than simply signing a contract."

_Great! Just what I need! Everyone with a daughter of marriageable age trying to get me to sign a ruddy contract or trick me into a marriage I neither want nor wish to force upon another!_ "I'll add that to my list of thing to do. Thanks," offered Harry, his gratitude for the advice evident in his voice. "So…there's someone you love?" he finally asked to change the subject a bit.

The young witch blushed slightly and looked down at the cleared table before her. "Yes," she answered softly with a warm smile. "There is someone who has held my heart for a long time now."

"Anyone, I know?" Harry asked playfully.

"Perhaps," the young witch replied coyly.

Harry began to squirm; suddenly worried that it might be him that she was referring to. _The last thing I need is some wannabe girlfriend living here with me_ , he thought. "R...really?" he dared to ask after swallowing heavily.

Daphne glanced up upon hearing the strange note in his voice. "Relax, Harry, it isn't you," she assured him, having reasoned out rather quickly his sudden unease. It wasn't that Daphne didn't find Harry attractive, as he was, in that rather disheveled sort of way. She had just never really considered the two of them together before. Harry Potter was a mystery to most of the girls attending Hogwarts. _Weasley and Lovegood are the only ones who ever made it past Granger_ , Daphne mused a bit disgruntled by the fact. She didn't count Cho Chang as the bushy-haired Gryffindor had put a quick stop to that or at least according to the rumor mill at the time.

Harry gave Daphne a weak smile and relaxed a bit. It surprised him to find that he was a little disappointed that it wasn't him. All the boys had longed after the blonde witch since fourth year. The fact that Daphne didn't seem to give any male the time of day while attending school led them all to speculate that there was already someone else in her life. Harry now thought it might be due to Daphne expecting to be sold off more than anything else, though the fact that she already loved another did not preclude the possibility that the other boys were right. The remainder of the evening passed in idle conversation about nothing of importance.

**-oOo-**

Gerald Greengrass was a stern man. Anyone who knew him would readily admit to him being a shrewd businessman. A wizard who often saw the opportunities for advancement before his colleagues realized they were even there. The head of the Greengrass house was currently seated at his desk reading over a letter received from the Wizarding world's savior, Harry Potter.

The man read the letter for a third time before getting up from his seat and walking over to the large bookcase that filled the entire wall of his study. It took the man several minutes to locate the thick ancient tome he was looking for. With the old book in hand, he returned to his desk and seated himself once more. After locking the study door, Gerald opened the book and began to read for the next several hours.

"That should do nicely," the elder wizard said aloud to himself before reaching up to massage the bridge of his nose. Opening a desk drawer, he withdrew a piece of parchment and a quill and composed his reply to The-Boy-Who-Lived.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It really amazes me how well this story has been received. I truly do appreciate all the kind reviews, and I hope you'll continue to enjoy it. The next chapter is nearly complete, so I hope to have it up on time by next Tuesday. A point of clarification. We, as we've all seen the movies, read the books, know everything that has taken place, are well aware of facts. I don't feel that "everyone" in the Harry Potter world would know all the details as we do, hence why Daphne was not aware of Sirius Black and the events surrounding him. Being Slytherin does not automatically mean you have a spy in every shadow just waiting to tell you everything that happens across the globe.
> 
> As always, your reviews are not required, but they are greatly appreciated.
> 
> Kind Regards,
> 
> EJ Daniels
> 
> All characters within this story, unless otherwise stated are the sole property of J. K. Rowling the original writer of the Harry Potter series.


	5. One Plus One Makes Four

**Chapter 5 - One Plus One Makes Four  
. . .**

Harry awoke with a groan and rolled over only to be hit in the face by bright sunlight from his window as Winky yanked the drapes open. "Master Harry needs to get up," the well-dressed house elf informed the tired wizard. "Master needs to eat before appointment with Missy Tonks. Master Harry is far too thin," she tsked disapprovingly. "Master Harry must be healthy to make babies."

Harry made a mental note to have Kreacher wake him from now on. The old elf was a bit gentler about it than Winky was apparently and he didn't mention anything about babies. Both were beneficial to his peace of mind first thing in the morning he believed. Harry considered just burying his head under the pillow and going back to sleep, but that option was removed when Winky pulled the covers off of him and wadded them up, presumably to be cleaned and aired out. "Alright. Alright. I'm up," Harry growled as he sat up and flung his legs over the side of the nearly stripped down bed.

The young man stood, absently scratching the back of his head as he toddled off to the bathroom for the use of the loo and a shower with a shave. It was a still blurry-eyed Harry that finally made his way down to the dining hall dressed in comfortable black slacks and a dark gray dress shirt complete with cufflinks sporting the Black family crest. Harry wasn't exactly certain where the cufflinks had come from, but they had been there waiting for him with his clothes. He suspected that Kreacher had brought them over from Grimmauld Place as he seemed to recall Sirius wearing them a time or two.

Daphne let out a low whistle of approval upon seeing him. "Don't we look rather dapper this morning," she commented, greeting him all bright-eyed and smiles.

"Morning," Harry growled at the 'far too chipper for this time in the morning' woman who was seated at the table to the left of his own chair.

Deciding to take pity on the man, Daphne poured him a cup of tea as Harry took his plate to the sideboard and served himself breakfast. "Not exactly a morning person?" Daphne queried only to receive a noncommittal grunt in return. "You were up rather late last night," she ventured, attempting another means of drawing Harry into a conversation and thus by learning what he had been up to.

"I had something I needed to look up," Harry finally confessed as he returned to the table with his food and seated himself. "Thanks," he offered as he took a long pull of hot tea from his cup, feeling marginally better for it.

"Anything I can help with?" Daphne offered before taking another bite of her food. It was all good and well to be staying someplace nice where she didn't have to wonder about roaming hands, however, there was little to do besides reading. The shopping trip had been nice, and all, especially the muggle undergarments, but they couldn't go shopping every day.

"No, but thanks," replied Harry as he refilled his teacup. "Just some old family traditions and what not," he told her dismissively.

"Potter," the witch addressed Harry, falling back to the use of his surname as she was irked at the man for being particularly dense. "I was raised in a Pureblood family. If there is one thing I know about it is traditions. So what is the occasion?" Seeing the rather blank look on the wizard's face, she continued. "You're up into the late hours of the night looking up old family traditions, and now you arrive here all dressed up looking every bit the scrumptious Head of House that you are," she teased.

Harry could feel the heat rising in his cheeks at her compliment even as he noticed the grin on Daphne's face telling him that the witch knew she had embarrassed him by her remark. _I wonder if that was her goal all along_ , he pondered only to quickly dismiss the idle thought. "Yes, well," Harry stammered, a bit disconcerted at being teased none the less, even if it were true. Though unlikely to his naive way of thinking as he saw himself as just Harry, a bloke like any other. "I'm to meet Mrs. Tonks this morning to discuss some matters, and I want to make a good impression."

After a moment or two of thought, Daphne replied with, "I don't think I know her. Should I?" she asked curiously. To the former Slytherin, knowledge was power as were the people you knew. If there was someone of importance that she didn't know about, then it could only benefit her to learn all she could about them. The Tonks family name, while it sounded familiar, she couldn't readily place it.

"You recall Professor Lupin from third-year?" Harry asked just before hastily spooning in some eggs.

"Defense Against the Dark Arts," Daphne replied with a nod. "He and Professor Moody were the only two good teachers we had in that class," she added. It wasn't common knowledge that Professor Moody had been Barty Crouch Junior using a liberal amount of polyjuice potion to appear as the former Auror. The Ministry had done a good job of covering up that fact, especially once the escaped Death Eater had hastily had his soul sucked out of him by a Dementor before he could be properly questioned. Fudge wasn't about to let that tidbit come to light as he was far too fearful of what people would think. "Shame about him being a werewolf and all."

Harry just gave a nod, missing the man himself. "Professor Lupin married an Auror, Dora Tonks. Sadly they both perished at the Battle of Hogwarts," he said, a shadow passing across his face for a long moment as he keenly felt their loss once more. With a visible effort, he corralled his emotions and continued. "Prior to that though they had a son, Teddy. Hermione and I were noted in their wills as the godparents. Mrs. Tonks is coming by today so that we can discuss Teddy's future."

"Oh? Starting with the babies already are we?" Daphne teased him with a grin, recalling their conversation on that matter the previous day. Harry just rolled his eyes, too busy chewing at the moment to offer a retort. The blonde witch gave a rather whimsical laugh that Harry found he rather liked the sound of. It was probably the first time he had ever heard her laugh unreservedly. "So why the late night study session?" Daphne asked after a few moments.

Harry took a sip of his tea before answering. "Mrs. Tonks, before marrying Ted Tonks, was known by another name," he told her. "Andromeda Black." Harry was rewarded by seeing the woman's eyes grow large at the revelation. "Apparently she was tossed out of the family some time ago, though. Seems the Blacks didn't take kindly to her marrying a Muggle-born wizard."

"I bet," Daphne agreed with a slight nod of her head. "The Blacks are Old-Blood, even by Pure-Blood standards. They were listed in the Pure-Blood Directory as part of the Sacred Twenty-Eight, the last of the Pure-Blood families in Britain."

"Toujours pur," Harry spat out with disdain. "The Black family motto, ' _Always Pure_ ,'" he explained upon seeing Daphne's questioning look. "Sirius once told me that there aren't any Pure-Blood families anymore and hasn't been for some time. They simply remove from their families those they deem less than worthy. That is the real reason you won't find any Muggles or Squibs listed on their family tapestries," he told her, recalling she had said something similar the previous day. The whole thing left a rather foul taste in his mouth and angered him as few things could. Harry pushed his plate away from him a bit, his appetite suddenly gone.

The two sat in silence for a bit as Harry sipped his tea and Daphne pushed the food about on her plate. "Sorry, Harry," Daphne offered in a contrite tone. "I didn't mean to ruin your meal."

Harry turned and looked at her as if he had forgotten she was even there for a moment, which he had, being lost in his own moody thoughts. "No," he said with a sigh. "It wasn't you, Daphne. It's just a rather distasteful subject. It just angers me to think that so many lives were lost or changed just because a small group of people wanted to make themselves feel superior to others!"

"Traditions are hard to break," Daphne offered half-heartedly by way of an excuse.

"If they harm another then they damn well should be broken," Harry snapped back, slamming his hand down upon the table hard enough to make everything jump. Beside him, the young witch flinched at the harshness of his tone as well as the loud noise caused by him hitting the table. Harry instantly felt lower than dirt. He knew that flinch as he had been prone to flinching when he had started Hogwarts. Harry could well recall when he would freeze up when Hermione would spontaneously hug him. "I'm sorry," he told her remorsefully.

"It's alright," Daphne replied with her eyes cast down as she hugged herself.

"No, it's not alright," Harry corrected her as he sat back in his chair and silently cursed himself for his own stupidity. "Let me make it up to you," he offered. "Let me take you out to lunch after I've concluded matters with Mrs. Tonks. Someplace nice. You pick," he offered with a soft smile.

Daphne eyed him warily, "Anywhere?" she enquired only to see him nod in confirmation. "Well, I did see what appeared to be an excellent French restaurant when we were on Oxford Street the other day," she commented, relaxing a bit and dropping her hands into her lap.

"Fine. Then, French, it is," Harry replied, accepting her choice with a gracious smile. He'd never had French before and wasn't certain if he would like it or not. Hogwarts and Mrs. Weasley were not places to acquire French cuisine, and Merlin forbid if the Dursleys ever ate anything ' _foreign_ '! "Just don't expect me to eat any of those snail things," he told her as he made a scrunched face at the very thought of them.

Daphne giggled, a sound Harry was also very quickly coming to enjoy. "Alright Potter, not this time," she assured him with a grin. "Then it's a date," Daphne stated before reaching for her cup of tea and took a sip. "There was another matter I wanted to ask you about," the young witch said, broaching the new subject a bit hesitantly. "I was wondering if I might have someone over?" she asked upon seeing his slight nod that she should continue.

Harry looked thoughtful for a moment before a teasing grin spread across his face. "This wouldn't be that mysterious bloke you love, would it?" he asked with exaggerated casualness.

"No bloke," she assured him with a nervous chuckle. "My friend, Tracey Davis. You remember her? She was in Slytherin with me."

"Not really," Harry confessed. While he was aware that there were other Slytherins his attention had been more focused on Malfoy and his hangers-on than the rest of the house.

"She'll be ever so heartbroken," Daphne quipped in faux sincerity, causing Harry to chuckle before giving her a lopsided grin. _He's rather cute when he does that_ , she idly mused before hastily banishing the thought. "Despite what you might think, not all Slytherins hated your very existence. There were even some who, dare I say it, fancied you."

Harry wasn't certain just what to make of that. _Ron would have blown a gasket if he had heard that_ , Harry thought with a mirthful chuckle in his head. If Harry had subscribed to Ron's way of thinking, then he would have thought all Snakes were evil. Life had shown him that there could be bad people in any house. Peter Pettigrew was a good example of that. People were both good and bad, just as Sirius had once told him.

"Yes, well, I'm certain that not every Slytherin subscribed to the Death Eater dogma that they were swilling out to anyone who would listen," Harry admitted.

"Obviously not," Daphne replied, smiling rather sweetly at him if a bit deceptively. "Some of us actually have a brain and know how to use it," she stated, daring him to contradict her. "Wouldn't you agree?" the younger witch enquired in the sweetest of tones as she leaned in and regarded Harry very intently.

"Yes," Harry said, clearing his throat a bit nervously upon seeing her sweet smile. The young wizard's internal self-preservation alarms ringing loudly, though he wasn't exactly sure why. "My point exactly," he added, reaching for his cup for a sip of tea only to discover that it was empty.

"I'm so glad we could come to an agreement, Harry," Daphne replied in a cloyingly sweet tone which was only slightly offset by the feral gleam in her eyes. "Now, about my request. It would be nice to have some female company."

"Of course you can. You're not a prisoner here, you're my guest," answered Harry. "I would have an issue though with a bloke visiting as you are under age and in within my care," he added only to chuckle after a moment. "What would the other Gryffs think of me if they knew I had not one, but two lovely snakes under my roof?"

"They would no doubt believe that you were one lucky wizard," Daphne teased for a moment before her features took on an exaggerated look of seriousness. "Tut-tut, Potter," Daphne chided him. "We're not in school, so we're not in any house anymore. Weren't you the one who pointed that out to me?" she asked with an arched brow.

"We're in my house," Harry corrected her as his lips settled into a lopsided grin.

"Yes, well, there is that I suppose," Daphne admitted with a playful pout.

**-oOo-**

Harry parted ways with Daphne so that he could go wash up once more as the young woman went and penned a message to her friend. Harry was a little leery of having another complete stranger over, but he truly wanted Daphne to be happy and comfortable here during her stay. If that meant that Tracey visited, then Harry guessed he'd just have to deal with it. The man himself was rather a private individual and would just as soon not have a bunch of people he didn't really know trudging through his home.

Shortly before nine o`clock found Harry in the living room pacing a bit nervously back and forth. A soft ' _pop_ ' herald the arrival of a house elf. "The young Master has received a missive from Gringotts," Kreacher stated as he held forth a small silver tray upon which rested the aforementioned letter. The house elf was dressed rather smartly in a black suit with tails, the Black family crest displayed proudly over the left breast.

Harry retrieved the letter from the platter. "Thank you, Kreacher," he replied to the elf who bowed slightly before disappearing with another soft ' _pop_.' Harry broke the wax seal on the thick envelope and pulled forth the single sheet of parchment.

_Mr. Potter,_

_This is to inform you that all the necessary renovations and preparations have been completed on Black Manor, per your agreement with Gringotts. Your guests shall be arriving tomorrow at precisely ten o`clock in the morning. It would be advisable for you to be there to greet them so that the wards might be set accordingly. Please do not hesitate to contact us if there is any additional service we at Gringotts might perform._

_Yours_ _In Profitability,_

_Bob  
Potter\Black Account Manager_

Harry smiled as his other project was finally set to kick off. While he was certainly looking forward to Hermione's reaction to the library he'd had built with her in mind, it was this other project that was most important to him. _Not that she isn't_ , he hastily reminded himself as he slipped the letter into his pocket. The-Boy-Who-Lived did a little-excited jig only to hear a knock upon his front door. Quickly making his way over Harry yanked open the door only to see Bellatrix Lestrange standing there.

Before Harry even realized it ten inches of Holly with a phoenix feather core was pointed at the witch's face, and a Reducto curse had flown from his lips. If the witch hadn't ducked down and away to protect what she carried she would have most certainly lost her head. "I yield!" the woman screamed in terror.

It wasn't her words that froze Harry, keeping him from following up his attack with another, but rather the frightened wailing of the infant in her arms as the witch tried to shield the baby from harm with her own body. "Oh my god, I am so sorry!" Harry exclaimed, suddenly realizing what he had almost done. The man's wand vanished almost as quickly as it had appeared, even as his face reddened, though from the adrenaline rush or shame it was hard to truthfully say. Perhaps a bit of both.

The witch stood back up, shooting Harry an icy glare while she bounced and tried to sooth the frightened child in her arms who continued to cry. "While I do greatly resemble my deceased deranged sister I can assure you, Mr. Potter I am nothing like her," Andromeda Tonks said through clenched teeth. "Maybe I should have expected such treatment from the Black family," she added in a clipped tone before turning her attention back towards the still crying infant.

"I can't tell you how sorry I am," Harry offered with heartfelt regret for his behavior as his face continued to turn a lovely shade of red due to his embarrassment. "It was a reflexive action I assure you. Please, do come in," he offered, stepping aside and gesturing toward the living room.

"Shall I expect spell fire every time Teddy wishes to visit his godfather?" Andromeda asked curtly before she brushed past the remorseful man and made her way over to the couch. Seating herself, she immediately began to bounce Teddy on her knee, quieting his fears.

Harry followed the witch into the living room, stopping several feet from her and the child while resting one hand on the back of the nearest chair. "No. That will never happen again," he assured her in a contrite tone of voice as he stared forlornly at his shoes rather than meet her disapproving gaze.

Andromeda eyed the man critically, noting his drooping shoulders and the penitent expression covering his face. _Merlin knows there have been many times where even I wanted to hex Bella_ , she ruefully admitted to herself. Andromeda disliked speaking poorly of the dead, especially when they were her own flesh and blood. "Please see that it doesn't," the seated witch finally said. "I am getting a bit older and am not nearly as spry as I once was," the witch added with a small hesitant smile as she attempted to relieve the tension.

Harry looked up hopefully, offering his own welcoming smile upon seeing the expression on Andromeda's face. "I promise you." The young man stepped over and took a precarious seat upon the edge of the chair nearest the witch. "So this is him?" asked Harry as his eyes dropped to the small boy sitting on her lap.

Andromeda turned slightly to that her knees were nearly touching Harry's and then situated the young child in her lap so that he was turned about and facing Harry. "Teddy, this is your Godfather, Harry Potter," she said towards the small boy. "Meet your godson, Edwards Remus 'Teddy' Lupin," she stated with a look towards the wizard with her.

Harry marveled at the boy who gazed back at him for a long moment before the child's hair began to change coloring. Even as Harry watched it settled into a shade of pink that was so reminiscent of Dora's that a lump formed in his throat making it difficult to speak. "H…he has her ability?" he asked even though the proof of it was right before his eyes.

"A Metamorphmagus, just like my Dora," Andromeda affirmed in a proud tone that was none the less tinged with sadness that her daughter wasn't there to see it.

Even as Harry gazed in wonder at the small little miracle, Teddy's hair darkened and soon turned a dark black just like Harry's. His hair wasn't the only thing that had changed as Harry saw that the boy now had emerald eyes that were the same color as his own. One small pudgy hand rose, and a finger pointed directly at Harry's chest. "Mine!" Teddy declared into the stunned silence his transformation had brought about.

Harry reached out, and the small boy captured his finger in a grip that was surprisingly strong for one so small. "Mine!" Teddy exclaimed once again as if claiming what he saw as rightfully his. In that one instance and with that single word Harry knew that he was truly good and caught. From that moment onward he would be whatever this small child needed him to be.

"Hello there, Teddy," Harry forced out past the emotional clog in his throat. "It's a pleasure to finally meet you," he continued with, wiggling the fingers that were currently being held captive by the small boy. "How old is he?" Harry asked, never taking his eyes from his godson.

"Seventeen months as of last week," Andromeda told him after a moment thought. "He's only recently started to talk clearly. Sadly he seems to think that everything is his."

"That's alright," Harry answered with a smile that shone with the brightness of the warmth in his heart at that moment. "I don't mind," he assured, though it was unclear if his reassurance was directed at her or the baby.

"Winky has brought tea," the house elf announced as she entered the room instead of apparating in. The female's bulbous eyes widened upon spotting the child. Harry could have sworn that Teddy's did the same as soon as the infant spotted Winky. Thankfully he didn't seem to have enough control of his ability to mimic the house elf's appearance. The elf somehow managed to pour them both cups of tea without taking her eyes off the toddler who continued to try and alter his appearance. "Will Master Harry be needin Winky for anything else?"

Harry had to suppress a grin upon hearing the all too evident note of hope in Winky's request. "No, I think that will be all, Winky. Thank you."

"Perhaps Winky can change the young one?" Winky persisted as she started to bounce from foot to foot much as Dobby had done when he was overly excited.

Harry looked apologetically towards Teddy's grandmother who was sporting an amused grin at the elf's antics. Teddy finally reached out towards Winky and let his opinion be known. "Mine!"

"Well," Andromeda said with a soft chuckle. "I guess that settles that."

"I suppose so," Harry agreed as he watched his new godson float through the air to Winky's waiting arms, giggling and laughing all the way. "I just know I'm going to regret that," Harry mumbled, thinking of the house elf's fixation on babies, or more to the point, Harry's babies. Seeing Andromeda's questioning look, he waved it off.

"So," Harry blew out with a small explosive breath and stood up, "Perhaps we should use this time to our benefit. I'm Harry Potter, Welcome to Westfield Manor, Mrs. Tonks," he said rather formally with a slight bowing of his head as was proper for the Head of an ancient and noble house. "Please accept my hospitality and protection whilst you remain within these walls."

Andromeda stood and executed a perfect curtsy in response to the formal greeting. "I thank the House of Potter for its hearth, shelter, and protection whilst I remain here." The Pure-Blood witch made to be seated only to pause as Harry spoke once more.

"This is certainly long overdue," he told her with a small smile that he hoped didn't reflect his nervousness. "I, Harry James Potter, Head of the most Ancient and Noble House of Black, welcome Andromeda Tonks as well as all those who descend from her person, into our House and promise to protect and care for all that is hers from now till the end of time." Harry held out his hand, upon which rested the Black signet ring, for her to kiss.

Andromeda looked at the proffered hand with a mixture of surprise and utter disbelief. She had never thought, even for a moment, that she would be invited back into the house that had cast her out for marrying a muggle-born wizard. She had known when she had married Ted that she was denying almost everything that made a Black a Black. The young and in love witch at the time thought that a small price to pay for following her heart. Being cast out of the family and shunned by her own sisters was more painful than she had expected but she never bemoaned her decision.

"I…I am very proud of Ted," she finally said in a quiet voice. "I never once, in all the years, have regretted my decision to marry him. Nor have I felt any shame over the fact that he was a Muggle-born wizard. Ted was a good, kind, decent man!" Andromeda exclaimed a bit teary-eyed just thinking about her late husband. "I won't change my name back to Black, neither shall Teddy."

"Nor would I ask you to," assured Harry. "Dora was like an older sister to me when I sorely needed one and Remus like a treasured uncle. I would never soil their memory by asking such a thing of you or Teddy."

Andromeda hesitantly reached out and took his offered hand in hers as she stared at the Black signet ring for a long moment. "Are you certain?" she asked, her eyes darting up and searching his questioningly. "It's a very untraditional thing to do, taking someone back into your house once they have been cast out."

Harry gave Andromeda a warm and reassuring smile. "Pure-blood dogma. My best friend is a Muggle-born witch, my best mate is a Pure-blood, and I am a Half-blood. There probably isn't anyone alive who cares less for traditions that hurt or upset others," he told her. "Sirius once said that you were his favorite cousin. I'm hoping that you'll become mine," he offered with a small shrug of his shoulders when he saw her still hesitate.

Weighing the truth of his words as well as what she saw within his eyes, Andromeda leaned forward and kissed the stone set in the ring, bringing herself as well as any of her descendants back into the Black family, for better or for worse. If the man before her was any indication of where the Black family was heading, then she felt she had made the right choice. "Thank you, Mr. Potter," she offered gratefully upon standing once more. "I honestly had never expected to be a Black again."

"Please, just Harry. We're family," he said, feeling a bit uncomfortable accepting her gratitude when all he had done was right an injustice that had been instigated by the prejudice members of their family. "So, shall we discuss Teddy?" Harry asked as he gestured for her to have a seat, waiting till she seated before taking his own seat once again. He passed Andromeda her tea, after receiving a nod of acceptance to indicate she would like it, before taking his in hand. "What can I do for you, Cousin?" he asked, sitting back in his chair and taking a slow sip.

"That's going to take a bit to get used to," Andromeda admitted with a small grin, rather enjoying the term none the less. There was a certain quality of family in it, not that she hadn't been a part of the Tonks family. Ted's parents and relatives had always made her feel welcomed and loved. Still, there was just something about being a part of your own family. She hadn't realized that till she had been kicked to the side all those years ago. With both Ted and Dora now gone, family meant a great deal more to her than it had at that time.

"Too much? Too soon?" Harry asked, a bit worried. "Would Mrs. Tonks be better? It would, wouldn't it?" the young man fretted.

Andromeda smiled, not having meant to knock her host out of sorts by the comment. "Papa used to call me Dromeda when I was very young," she confided with a thoughtful, absent look to her eyes as she recalled those younger days when life was a great deal less difficult. "Mother hated it, saying that I had a right and proper name in Andromeda. I never really understood why until I was older and learned that she was the one who named us all."

"What would _you_ like me to call you?" Harry asked, content to let her decide.

The elder witch sat for a long moment sipping her tea before she finally answered. "Teddy used to call me Andi," she said with a sad little wistful smile, her eyes withdrawn and remembering a different, happier time. One that was forever gone thanks to the war and all it had taken from her.

Harry stared at the witch who suddenly appeared rather lost and vulnerable, not at all what he would have expected from a Pure-Blood, brought up to be a proper lady. "What happened to him?" Harry asked softly. "I mean if you don't mind telling me."

Andi collected herself and within one heartbeat and the next she was once again a Pure-Blood daughter of the most ancient and noble house of Black. "When the Muggle-Born Registration Commission was established after the Ministry fell to Voldemort, Ted went on the run rather than be forced into one of their internment camps. He did want to risk staying and getting me or Dora involved."

"They, the Aurors who brought me the news, were never certain what happened. It was highly likely that a group of Snatchers finally caught up to him. They were all over the place, hauling honest, decent people in, to never be seen again. I know my Teddy. He wouldn't have gone quietly. In the end, it didn't really matter as he was dead," she finished with sadly.

"I'm sorry," Harry offered, trying to fit into those two small words all the remorse he felt for not having stopped Voldemort sooner.

Andi eyed the boy, _no,_ _man_ , she corrected herself mentally, for a long moment. _He is the head of the Black house now and has been through more than most adults will see in a lifetime if even half of the stories are true_. "You are not to blame, Harry. Nor is the loss solely mine. We all lost a bit of ourselves in the mad man's war." Harry could do little more than nod in agreement. "All we can do now is make the best of what we have left," Andi added with a weary sigh.

"I assume that's why you're here," Harry replied, forcing a smile on his face for her benefit.

The elder witch set her untouched tea down on the end table before clasping her hands together in her lap. "Toward the end of the war, our house was destroyed in an attack. Snatchers thought Ted had come back to hide out there. Not much was left as they burned it down. I've been staying with Ted's folks, who are marvelous and happy to have Teddy and me," she told him haltingly.

"But?" Harry prompted, sensing that there was something else.

"Their house is rather small," Andi confessed, her tone clearly indicating that she hated the fact that she was complaining at all about the couple's generosity. "Teddy and I are using Ted's old room from when he lived there as a boy. It is great, really, but I want something better for my grandson. He should be raised in a home with others like himself."

"You mean magical?" Harry asked only to see the witch nod in agreement.

"Exactly. The Tonks have muggle friends over fairly often. What would they do if Teddy's hair suddenly turned blue or pink? How would they explain that to their friends or the rest of their family should they visit?" Andi worried. "I don't want to put them through that. Not after everything they've already been through and given up for us."

"When Ted and I were courting, I was doing an internship at St, Mungo's. It's how we met actually. Ted had been brought in due to a potion that had gone wrong. We dated all through my internship when I learned I was expecting Dora," Andi said, unconsciously moving one hand to her abdomen at the recollection of her baby, "I dropped out to be a proper mum. I thought I might try and complete my time and finish becoming a Healer," she concluded in a rush.

"I know it won't be easy and all, especially with having Teddy to look after now as well," Andi rattled on, nervous that Harry might decline her request. "It would be incredibly helpful if perhaps Teddy can stay here with you till I have completed my internship. Some of the shifts are rather long and I know I'll be extremely drained afterward. I don't want Teddy to be neglected. Once I'm done and have started working I can get my own place for us."

"Where are you going to stay while you're going through your internship?" Harry enquired.

"I'll stay with the Tonks," answered Andi. "I shouldn't be much in the way as I'll probably only be there to sleep and shower."

Harry thought over what she had said for a moment before discovering something he didn't care for about the arrangement. "When will you be able to see Teddy then?"

"I…I won't," she stammered in the way of reply. It was the one fly in the ointment, a snag in her plan and a rather painful one at that. Andi knew she would hate to be away from the baby that long, but if it meant they wouldn't have to be parted once again afterward, then she deemed it a worthwhile sacrifice to make for Teddy's sake.

"Well, that's not good," Harry told her directly. "I don't know the first thing about caring for a baby," he added for good measure. While Harry would love to spend time with his godson the thought of being responsible for another life was more than a little frightening to him. He could barely manage to keep himself alive, with Hermione's help at that, how would he possibly manage Teddy he wondered. _Hermione's not here to help me this time._

"Nonsense," Andi assured him. "You have house elves. A better nanny you'll never find, Harry. I'm confident they can help you with whatever you don't know how to do or feel uncomfortable doing," she said, thinking of changing nappies.

"Won't Teddy miss you?" Harry pressed.

"He's young. He won't even remember this time of his life," Andi replied with false bravado. Even though she knew Teddy would miss her she was more concerned about how she would survive without him. With both Ted and Dora gone, Teddy was all she had left in the world.

Harry sat forward and gently laid a hand on hers where it rested on her knee still. "I was fifteen months old when my mum and dad died. I remember it to this day," he told her solemnly, leaving out the part about the nightmares and the flash of green light because that was rather personal. "Even if he doesn't remember when he is older, he'll know now when you're not here. I know he'll miss you."

Seeing the distraught look that appeared upon Andi's face at his words, the truth of them finally sinking in, Harry thought for a moment and then did the only thing that made any sense at all. "The two of you can move in here," he offered. "Merlin knows I have the room with plenty to spare. You can floo to St. Mungo's for work, and when you return home afterward you can see Teddy for a bit before getting some sleep."

"I…I wouldn't want to impose," Andi stammered, fighting with her sensibilities. What Harry was offering seemed like the perfect solution to her issues however she was raised not to be a burden on others. It was part of the reason she wanted to get a place for Teddy and herself as she felt like she was a huge burden on the Tonks.

"Burden?" Harry scoffed a bit more exaggerated than was called for. "You would be doing me a favor actually as I would get to spend more time with Teddy. I don't have any family you see, except for him now and yourself. It would mean a great deal to me if you would stay here so I can get to know you both better," Harry replied in a sad little tone of voice with what he hoped were his best puppy dog eyes.

Andi smirked to herself realizing exactly what Harry was doing. That tone of voice and those eyes would have been enough to melt any witch's heart, but she had been raised a Black. She well knew manipulation when she saw it. _Not that he's trying all that hard to hide it_ , she mused with a chuckle in her head. "If you insist," she hesitantly replied just for show.

"I do!" Harry exclaimed as he launched himself to his feet. "It's settled then. You'll stay here for as long as you like," he told her with an approving grin.

"You're certain you have room for us?" Andi asked, her own lips curling up into a smile as she stood at a more sedate pace than Harry had used.

Harry thought for a moment, and the realized something. "Room, yes. Furniture, no," he admitted. "I guess we'll have to go shopping," he offered, a bit less enthusiastically than the last time he had thought to do that. A soft clearing of a throat caught his attention. Turning he saw Daphne, dressed in a lovely burgundy muggle dress that came down to just above her knees. It was rather light and airy but having never seen her without robes before it was all the more stunning. The beautiful witch had her hair pulled back into a French braid which hung down her back unless he was mistaken. Harry thought she really was rather brilliantly gorgeous.

"Oh dear, I believe that you've quite broken him," Andi teased upon seeing the slack-jawed expression on Harry's face as he stared at the newest arrival.

Daphne grinned a bit victoriously, her mission accomplished. "I think it's the first time he's seen me out of witch's robes," Daphne replied as she crossed the room as fluid and as graceful as water. "Daphne Greengrass," the blonde witch offered holding her hand out to Andi.

"Andromeda Tonks," Andi replied, grasping the hand and giving it a shake as she introduced herself.

"Yes, well, Andi will be staying here with us for the foreseeable future," Harry offered, finally regaining control of his motor functions once again. Seeing Daphne's questioning look, he hastily added, "Her and Teddy. My godson."

Andi could tell that Harry was a bit embarrassed to have been caught so brazenly gaping at Daphne, but she couldn't help teasing him a little more. "Staying with _Us_?" she enquired with an amused arch of her brow.

"Yes, Harry is being quite the dear and allowing me to stay here in his lovely home," Daphne answered as she laid a hand upon the young wizard's arm appreciatively, causing him to blush at the attention as well as the touch. "I don't know what I'd ever do without him!"

_Oh you wicked girl_ , Andi thought as she witnessed Harry's reaction to Daphne's presence. It was clear to her at least that Harry had practically no experience when it came to witches. The fact that he blushed at just a touch showed some degree of innocence that was rather endearing. Andi, not knowing Harry all that well wasn't certain if she should save him or encourage Daphne to continue. "Then I look forward to becoming fast friends," Andi finally settled on.

"We," Daphne said, pausing to shoot Harry a broad smile, "have plans for lunch at a very nice French restaurant. You simply must come with us," Daphne declared. "You don't mind, do you Harry?" Daphne asked, flashing Harry a rather pleading pout as she batted her lashes at him.

"No. Course not," Harry stammered out, finding it suddenly warmer in the room than it ought to be.

"What about Teddy," Andi asked, concerned about the baby.

Before Harry could say anything, there was a small pop as Kreacher appeared. "Winky wished to convey that the young tike has fallen asleep and she will watch over him while Master and his Misses are out," Kreacher told them with a respectful bow of his head. "Winky would have come herself, but she be rocking the little one in her arms and did not wish to wake him."

"Well, I guess that settles it," Andi said, knowing that a house elf would never let any harm befall a child left in their care.

Harry gave a brief nod of agreement. "Thank you, Kreacher," he told the elf who bowed once again and disappeared with a pop. "Shall we?" Harry asked, gesturing towards the floo which they could use to get to Grimmauld Place and the tube.

Daphne quickly fell in beside the older witch, lacing her arm in with Andi's. "So, about this shopping. I know just the place!" Behind the two witches, Harry did his best not to groan aloud.

**-oOo-**

It was much later in the day when the two excited witches, trailed by a rather exhausted wizard, returned to Westfield Manor. The ladies hurried off to decorate and furnish Andi's room while Harry made a hasty retreat to his own rooms on the fourth floor only to find a letter awaiting his attention. Harry didn't recognize the seal but suspected who it was from.

_Mr. Potter._

_House Greengrass extends to House Black our sincere gratitude for sheltering one of our own. I humbly accept your offer to provide my daughter with hearth, shelter, and protection, especially given that she is at the moment unable to protect herself._

_At this time I am at present on the continent and will be remaining here for the next several months. Due to the nature of my business, I am currently unable to return to my home for Daphne's wand, which is safely stored where only I may reach it. Due to this inconvenience, I fear I must ask that you continue to look after my Daphne as if she were your own. Upon my return, shortly before the Yule holiday, I will be happy to meet with you to discuss the matter of her wand._

_Respectfully,  
Gerald Greengrass_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As it was mentioned in a review of the last chapter on a different site so I will clarify here just as I did there. Yes, I realize that Harry did meet the Tonks in the books as part of the seven Potter's escape from the Dursleys (wouldn't it just have been easier to apparate to wherever? I mean really!). For the sake of this story, I have gone the movie route and am acting as if they have never met. Andromeda is supposed to look a great deal like Bellatrix, hence the confusion when Harry opened the door.
> 
> As always, your reviews are not required, but they are greatly appreciated.
> 
> Kind Regards,
> 
> EJ Daniels
> 
> All characters within this story, unless otherwise stated are the sole property of J. K. Rowling the original writer of the Harry Potter series.


	6. A Friend In Need

**Chapter 6 – A Friend In Need  
. . .**

Harry left his suite of rooms and headed down the stairs with a joyful gait to his step. It had been a tiring week, but he felt good about all the effort he had put into his project. There was still a long ways to go as yet, but the beginnings were very promising as far as he was concerned. Every day for the past couple of weeks he had been over to Black Manor to see how things were progressing.

Truthfully he had felt more in the way while there than anything. The three Black house elves, Middy, Linny and Lolly had everything under control. There had been a few rough areas, problems were bound to arise, but they had worked through them and gotten everything sorted in due time. _The elves seemed to be in their element_ , Harry mused with a slight grin as he recalled them dashing about and seeing to his guest's needs.

It was an incredibly happy wizard that finally made his way into the dining room for a bit of breakfast and greeted those present. "Good morning, Andi," Harry spoke as he paused beside her chair and gave her a peck on the cheek with a warm, affectionate smile. Since moving into Westfield Manor Andi and he had become closer. Harry saw the mature witch as something akin to a long lost aunt he never knew he had. One far different from his aunt Petunia of course.

For her part, Andi was coming to think of the young wizard as something of an adopted son. These new feelings of Andi's, while not a replacement, were helping somewhat to ease the pain of losing her Dora. Andi smiled back in return. "You seem to be in a rather chipper mood this morning, Harry?"

"That's because I am," Harry confirmed before turning to the toddler seated in a highchair next to the witch. "Good morning to you as well, Teddy!" Harry said as he leaned down and kissed the baby on the crown of his head. The toddler's face was covered with food, so Harry figured it was safer there than on a cheek. Harry grinned as the boy's hair turned black and his eyes went green. Teddy liked to mimic the appearance of anyone who held him. In Harry's case though Teddy would change just upon seeing the wizard enter the room.

"Good morning Daphne," Harry offered as he walked to his seat at the end of the table and greeted the beautiful witch who wore her typical bright and cheerful smile just as she did every morning. The fact that the witch was always so happy in the morning was one of the few annoying things about her. _Well, not really annoying as she does look rather cute when she smiles like that_ , Harry corrected himself as he rather enjoyed the view.

"What? No kiss for me? Playing favorites are we?" Daphne teased with as her face dropped into an exaggerated pout. However, her eyes still sparkled with amusement.

"You'd have to be family for that," Harry replied back with a lopsided grin. He had come to enjoy the teasing repartee the two of them always seemed to exchange. It was something rather new to him, which was perhaps why he reveled in it so very much. Certainly, there had been lots of ribbing among him and his dorm mates, but they had all been blokes. This was the first time he had been able to exchange such banter with a witch and a pretty one at that. Hermione had her moments, but Daphne was a whole other creature when it came to such playfulness.

"You do know that all of the Pure-blood families are related to each other in some manner? I'm probably like a distant cousin or something to you," Daphne told him, not surprised or offended by his rejection. She would have been far more amazed if the wizard had been bold enough to acquiesce to her request. The young woman that she was, rather enjoyed their byplay, especially when Harry used that lopsided smile of his. _He's just too damn cute_ , she concluded silently once again. Of course the fact that she knew that Harry would never try anything just made the play all the more fun because she was certain that it was safe.

"She's right you know," Andi offered, agreeing with the younger witch. Harry shot her a look as if to ask just whose side was she on. "It wouldn't surprise me if there was a Greengrass and a Potter somewhere in your family tree. I know there is in the Black tree," Andi clarified, unruffled by Harry's accusatory stare in her direction.

Rather than reply to that news or provide the kiss that Daphne was hinting at, the brave Gryffindor decide to switch topics and address the other occupant at the table. "Good morning, Davis," Harry offered as he took his plate in hand. "Still here I see," he added as he stepped over to the sideboard and began to serve himself.

The witch in question had arrived two weeks ago. At the time Andi had been moving in with Teddy, and hence Harry hadn't paid much attention to the fact that she was there. Other than a brief hello and welcome to the Manor, Harry had been too occupied with seeing that his godson and cousin were situated. As recently he had been engrossed in his ongoing project he actually only saw the newest witch to his home at breakfast and then the evening meal time. Since her arrival though Harry had often noticed the auburn-haired witch glaring at him rather accusingly. It was as if he had done something to personally offend her.

Harry had tried to figure just what he could have said or done but nothing came to mind. He knew next to nothing about the former Slytherin and really hadn't had the chance to get to know her. Harry thought she was pretty or at least that she could be if she took better care of her looks. _She's a bit frumpy_ , Harry recalled thinking upon first meeting the woman who was dressed in dark robes and had her hair pulled back in what appeared to be a hastily done ponytail. _Why does she insist on wearing such drab robes and would a little makeup really hurt?_ Daphne's appearance was always impeccable which only made Tracey look all the worse when compared.

"At this rate, you might as well just move in," Harry innocently tossed over his shoulder as he served himself eggs and bangers. Due to his back being turned to the others he missed the ear-splitting smile that blossomed on Daphne's face as well as the restraining hand the blonde witch placed upon her friend's forearm to keep Tracey from replying harshly. The young witch gave a slight shake of her head in warning to her best friend.

"Morning, Potter," Tracey finally answered evenly as the wizard made his way back to the table and seated himself. "You're looking rather less kept than usual today," she practically sneered as she took in Harry's faded jeans and the clearly well-worn t-shirt he had on. It was a far cry from the usual well-dressed wizard she and the others were used to seeing in the morning.

"Yes, well, that's because I have a date today," Harry surprised them all by say. Harry once again ignored the witch's tone as he had been the target of it since she had arrived and hence was becoming rather immune to it by now. Besides, it wasn't anywhere near the same level of snideness that Malfoy or Snape had managed, so it really didn't bother him all that much. The young wizard just assumed it was part of the witch's nature, though that did make him wonder just how she and Daphne were then friends as their personalities were at odds apparently.

"You can't seriously be going on a date like that!" Daphne was quick to point out, offended on behalf of whatever girl Harry was seeing that day. It was a bit of a surprise that Harry would be dating, especially as she was fairly confident that the man was besotted with the Granger girl, but it really wasn't her business she figured. A small voice in the back of her mind did ask the question that if he were dating then perhaps, he would take her on one. _Andi did end up going along with us on our last date_ , she reasoned.

"Anna made it very clear that I was to wear something old," Harry replied defensively. "She likes to paint and is an Artist," he informed them, adding a bit of a French accent to the last word just for fun. Andi gave a soft chuckle, Daphne just rolled her eyes, and Tracey shot him her usual glare.

"The Prophet hasn't mentioned you seeing anyone, Harry," Andi stated, though it was clearly more a question than a statement. "When did you start dating this Anna?" she asked. Harry was family so she couldn't actually help it if her protective instincts, ones every mother has, kicked in at that moment.

"I'm not seeing anyone," Harry clarified. "Anna asked me out yesterday, and I just couldn't say no to her. She has the cutest dimples that appear whenever she smiles," Harry added with a small grin as he recalled them. "I'm sure if you saw her you'd say the same thing. Quite irresistible."

"Well, before your date card gets filled, I was wondering if we could do a shopping trip this Thursday for some things I forgot," Daphne asked. "Andi, you're more than welcome to come along if you're free," she added to the older witch. Shopping was more fun as a group after all.

"Thursday doesn't work for me," Harry replied before anyone could say anything else. "Beth and I have a date that day," he surprised them once again judging by the shocked expressions that appeared on their faces. _I think I rather like surprising them like this_ , Harry thought amusedly to himself. _Merlin knows I've had enough surprises in my life. It feels rather good to be handing them out instead of receiving them._ The young wizard wondered in passing if the Headmaster had enjoyed them as much. "Saturday is out too as I have a pickup Quidditch game with the guys," he slipped in hastily.

"Beth?" Daphne asked in disbelief. "Working your way through the alphabet, are you?" she teased, though there was an unusual note to her tone.

_Is she jealous?_ Harry thought in shock, surprised himself this time. _No, she couldn't possibly be. She already has a bloke she's in love with after all._ "Feeling left out?" Harry enquired, his emerald eyes sparkling with mischief. "Would you like for me to save the D slot for you?" Harry teased back with a grin, abet a bit nervously. The flirtatious banter was still something new to him, and he wasn't nearly as confident with it as Daphne appeared to be.

"That would be lovely if you could fit me into your busy schedule," Daphne replied with a coquettish smile of her own.

Their playful exchange was rather rudely interrupted by the scrapping of Tracey's chair across the floor as she hastily stood up forcing it back rather quickly. "If you'll excuse me, I've rather lost my appetite!" the auburn-haired witch announced before turning and storming from the room with a scowl upon her face.

Harry sat back in his chair and sighed. "I don't know what I ever did to offend her, but she certainly doesn't seem to like me." The fun he had been having with Daphne just the moment before was completely lost as he once again contemplated just what he could have done to offend the witch that had just hastily stomped out of the room.

Daphne sighed remorsefully. "I don't think it is so much you personally, Harry, but rather your gender," she told him. Upon seeing his questioning look, she added, "It's not my story to tell. Just give her time, and she'll come around." The blonde witch stared after her friend. "Tracey's not usually such an irritable witch. It just takes her a bit to warm up to a person. Males especially."

"Well, I had best be off as well," Andi stated as she wiped her mouth and set the napkin down upon the table. "Another day of trying to cut through the bureaucracy of trying to get my internship completed." Seeing the set of questioning looks from the other two, she explained. "It seems that there are some additional classes I'll need to sit as it has been a number of years since I dropped my previous internship. Sadly, in order to attend the courses, I need to be in an internship, which I can't get without sitting the classes. It's all rather maddening," she said with a suffering huff that the others thought was kind of cute.

"Anything I can do to help?" Harry asked with genuine concern. He didn't know anything about admissions or medical internships, but Andi was family, and so he wanted to do all he could for her.

"Not unless you're personal friends with the Dean of Admissions or know the Chief Healer at St. Mungo," Andi replied. "No, I'll eventually get them to see just how idiotic they are being. I just have to wear down their stupidity before they wear down my patients."

"Well if there is anything I can do, let me know," Harry replied as he watched the older witch rise and then excuse herself. "I had best be off as well," Harry stated as he looked towards Daphne.

"Mustn't keep Anna waiting," Daphne teased with a grin.

"Yes, well, you lady folk tend to frown on that don't you?" Harry answered as he stood. Winky appeared with a moist towel and began cleaning Teddy's face, hands and generally his entire body as it seemed to Harry that there was food everywhere on the child. During the exchange of the adults apparently, no one had been watching the toddler who found great joy in playing with his food.

"Very much so," Daphne answered with a nod of her head. "See that you remember that, Harry."

Harry chuckled. "I'm well aware of it. Hermione was very adamant about it all through our school years. It finally sunk in sometime around our fifth year," he added with a lopsided grin. "Ron and I were a bit dense about it actually."

"Granger does have you well trained. I'll have to thank her for that," said Daphne with a small smirk of amusement. Speaking of the Gryffindor witch, Daphne couldn't help but wonder if Harry had mentioned the fact that she was living with him as yet. _Perhaps I should write her and let Granger know that nothing as yet has happened between us_ , she mused silently as Harry started to walk away only to pause and turn back to face her.

"Oh, there was one other matter I nearly forgot," Harry said, though in truth it had weighed heavily on his mind since receiving the last missive from her father. "Are you alright being here without your wand?"

Daphne eyed the man speculatively for a long moment before answering. "I would have to go home to ask father for it and, as I am certain you recall, I ran away from that place. I'd just as soon not return to there at the moment if it's all the same to you. Not when I have such excellent company here," she added with a bat of her lashes.

Harry suddenly felt as if his collar was a bit tight at her look but ignored the playful jab as he was attempting to discuss a serious matter. He well recalled that she had run away from home to avoid an unwanted marriage contract. The fact that in their exchange of letters the Greengrass Patriarch had failed to mention any of that at all was rather perplexing, to say the least. "You know we could go to Ollivander's and get you a new one," Harry offered.

"That's sweet of you, Harry," Daphne said with a gracious smile, "but I'm sure you got the same line that old Ollivander tells all his customers, ' _The wand chooses the Wizard_ ,'" Daphne said in a rather good impersonation of the old wand maker. "Or rather a witch in my case. No, I'll wait for father to return it to me. I'm certain he will eventually. Besides, I have Tracey here now and once she's moved in she can swish and flick anything I need."

"Well if you're certain," Harry replied hesitantly. "Wait? Moved in? Who said she could move in?" Harry asked a bit confused.

Daphne chortled, "Why you did just a bit ago when you were serving yourself breakfast," she told him. "I distinctly heard you say that she might as well move in." Daphne stood, setting her napkin upon the table and made her way bewitchingly over towards the wizard. "You're not going to tell me you didn't mean it now are you?" she asked sweetly as her hips swayed just so with each step she took.

"Yes…well, you see…" Harry stammered, not sure what to do. The young wizard's internal self-preservation alarms were blaring once again and just as before he hadn't a clue as to why. His fight or flight instinct was definitely screaming flee! Choosing to ignore the warning bells, he forced his mind from Daphne's hips and back to the matter at hand. It was apparent to him that Tracey didn't like him. It was also apparent that Daphne enjoyed the auburn-haired witch's company and Harry did want Daphne to be happy.

"Come now, Harry, it's not like you don't have the room," Daphne continued with as she reached his side and laid a gentle hand upon his forearm. "It would mean ever so much to me if my best friend could keep my company here," she said in an alluring tone as she gazed into his emerald eyes.

Faced with the beautiful, beguiling woman, her pleading eyes and seductive tone, Harry did what any man would have done. He caved. "Alright. I guess I don't have an issue with it."

"You're a dear!" Daphne exclaimed before she leaned in and gave Harry a peck on the cheek in gratitude. The happy witch turned and headed out of the room leaving the dazed wizard behind her. As she reached the doorway, she turned back, "Of course this means we'll need that shopping trip sooner rather than later. Friday will do nicely," she added before spinning about and disappearing through the doorway. Behind her, Harry's shoulders slumped in defeat as he groaned aloud, pointedly ignoring the snicker that came from Winky behind him.

**-oOo-**

"Lastly, Headmistress McGonagall has asked that we all be on the lookout for some of the more dangerous of Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes items such as the portal swamps. Mr. Filch was nearly bitten by an alligator yesterday apparently. If you happen to see such items, please confiscate them. There is a list posted on Mr. Filch's door of the items in question. Thank you for your continued hard work. That will be all for today," Hermione ended with as the Prefects got up to leave. "Luna?" Hermione called out, "Do you have a moment?"

"Sure," the blonde Ravenclaw witch replied as she made her way over towards Hermione, taking the seat next to the girl. "What can I do for you?" Luna asked in a serious tone. Since the war had ended Luna had been far less dreamy and a bit more withdrawn, well, more than a bit actually.

Hermione was certain it was due to what they had all experienced. One doesn't live through a deadly battle and come away without some scars, _especially ones that can't be seen_ , Hermione thought as her hand unconsciously moved to her forearm where the word _Mudblood_ had been carved into it by Bellatrix Lestrange.

"How are you?" Hermione opened with politely. Due to there being so few seventh-year students at the school, as well as for her part in the war, Luna had been made a Prefect. Because of this Hermione had been able to see a bit more of Luna than in previous years. What with different classes and being in different years it had made it a bit hard in the past. This year was not such the case as they were in the same year now. The bright witch could tell that there was something wrong with her friend and Hermione meant to determine just what it was. She recalled Harry mentioning that in past years Luna had been rather bullied by her Housemates and Hermione was fearful that it might still be happening.

"I'm fine, Hermione," Luna replied with a forced smile as she tucked a loose strand of blonde hair behind her ear. "Have you heard from Harry?" she asked to change the subject as well as to hear about the wizard she missed. The petite witch didn't want to bother Hermione with her problems. _I'm sure she's quite busy being Head Girl and all_.

"He's apparently doing rather well," Hermione offered with a wide grin, always happy to talk about Harry. "He seems to be keeping himself rather busy though the prat won't tell me what with," she added with a faux scowl. Hermione continued to try and determine just what Harry was up to but as yet had met with little success. The possibilities were just too many to make an accurate speculation on the matter.

"I'm sure that whatever it is he'll tell you soon enough," Luna offered supportively. "I mean this is Harry we're talking about. He's your best friend. He tells you everything." Much like Hermione, Luna was finding the bespectacled wizard's absence hard to deal with. Harry was one of the very few true friends that she had, and she dearly missed his presence in her life.

Hermione sighed knowing that the Ravenclaw witch was right but hating the fact that she didn't know Harry's well-kept secret now rather than when Harry decided to tell her. "You do know that was the same ' _I'm fine_ ' that Harry always gave me. I believe you just as much as I believed him when he used it. Care to share just what is bothering you? I'd like to think your my friend too, Luna, and that I'm yours." Hermione couldn't help but notice the girl's red puffy eyes, a clear sign of crying, or the dark circles around them that that spoke of a lack of proper sleep.

"You are," Luna confirmed as she hung her head and looked at her hands in her lap, sorry to have apparently caused the witch to worry about her. There was a part of her that desperately wanted to share her burden with Hermione and after a few moments it finally won out over the part that didn't want to burden her friend. "It's Daddy," she finally confessed in a soft tone. "He isn't doing well. Hasn't been since our home was destroyed and we lost the Quibbler," the distraught witch continued as she looked up at Hermione with large watery silver eyes. "It's like he's given up or something. I honestly don't know what I'm going to do! I can't lose him, he's all I have!"

Hermione did what she was known best for, she reached out and hugged the petite witch to her. "It will be alright, Luna," Hermione comforted the girl in her arms, hoping her words sounded convincing. "I'm sure he'll come around. We've all been a bit damaged by the war and all." Hermione held her crying friend for several long moments, allowing her to release what she was certain the small woman had been holding inside for some time. "You've got Harry and me as well, you know. We'd never leave you alone, Luna."

"I know," Luna sniffled from within the comfort of her friend's arms. "The Healers at St. Mungo's said that there's isn't anything physically wrong with him. I've sat with him all summer long and watched him as he's slowly wasted away before my eyes," the young witch said as if she was trying to cleanse herself of the memory. "When Daddy said I should go back to school I jumped at the chance. I just couldn't stand to sit there and watch any longer. I must be the world's worst daughter!" Luna bemoaned.

"You're most certainly not the worst daughter," Hermione answered, patting the girl's back in an attempt to comfort her. "I erased my parent's memories of me and sent them halfway around the world. I stole from them their only child. You stayed by your father's side the entire summer. You're very courageous if you ask me. That's more than I think I could have done," Hermione confessed.

"If it were your Daddy you'd have found a way to fix him," Luna offered with a wet chuckle. "I'm certain you would have disappeared into the library for a few days and emerged with some miracle spell or potion to set him straight."

Hermione's expression became determined upon hearing the girl's words. "He may not be my Daddy, but that doesn't mean that we can't find a way to fix him, Luna! We're two very bright witches, and if we put our minds to it there isn't anything we can't do!"

"You….you really think so?" Luna asked in a hopeful tone. "You'll help me?"

"Of course I will!" Hermione confirmed before getting a thoughtful look. "We'll need to order some Muggle medical books as well as Wizarding ones. Good thing Harry gave me a key to his vault!" Hermione exclaimed, making a mental note to thank the absent wizard once again for his thoughtfulness as it was actually proving to be very helpful.

"It's terribly sweet of Harry to share the bounty of his family with you," Luna replied, sounding a great deal more like her former self than she had in some time. "I hope one day I can find someone like Harry who loves me just as much."

Hermione felt her cheeks heat into a blush at the implications of the girl's words. "Well, Harry is my best friend after all. He's terrible sweet at times, always looking out for me. I'm sure he just wants to make certain I didn't lack for anything. Which is why he gave me the key, not that there would be any other reason. To give me access to his vault…and all," she rambled on for a moment before shutting up, completely blushing at the thought that Harry might actually love her as his letter had said.

Luna sat back and looked at the Gryffindor girl. "And you're the smartest witch of our age?" she asked incredulous, giving Hermione the same look that Luna's mum would give her father when she thought he was being particularly daft. "We'll have to work on that I suppose," Luna tsked thoughtfully.

**-oOo-**

Daphne hastily made her way up the stairs to her suite of rooms. Stepping through the door into what amounted to her parlor, a small room to greet guests in, she spied Tracey sitting on the small couch pretending to read a book. The blonde witch leaned her back against the closed door, "Care to tell me what that was all about?" she asked in a deceptively calm tone of voice.

"Nothing," was the clipped reply when it came from Tracey. The seated witch hadn't even bothered to look up when she spoke, something that was rather rude to do per Daphne's way of thinking.

"That," Daphne stated a bit heatedly as she pushed off the wall, taking a step towards the other witch while using one hand to point in the direction she had come from, "was a bit more than just nothing, Tracey. I think I deserve an explanation."

"Look," Tracey replied just as heatedly as she stood, dropping the book to the couch, "If you don't have to tell me what your plans are for Potter then I certainly don't have to tell you every little thought that crosses my mind!" she snapped angrily.

"Harry is being very generous in allowing me to live here, Trace," Daphne snapped. "He just said you could stay here as well for Merlin's sake! He has been every bit the gentleman. Why are you so put out with him?"

"You know I've just about had my fill of it! It's Potter this and Potter that!" Tracey growled out in return. "All you every talk about anymore is Potter!"

Daphne's face darkened, "Jealous much?"

"Should I be?" was Tracey's quick counter.

Daphne checked her retort, took a deep breath and tried to reason with the woman. "Tracey, I told you that I don't have any plans for Harry. Why won't you believe me? You've known me all my life!" she pleaded.

"It's because I've known you all your life that I don't believe you, Daph," Tracey fired back. "You're a Slytherin for Morgana's sake! You probably have an initial plan, a secondary one and then three or four contingency plans as well in case something goes wrong with the first two!"

"I'm not a Slytherin anymore!" was Daphne's reply when it came, her anger slipping out once more. "In case you haven't noticed neither of us is in school any longer. What House we belonged to at Hogwarts doesn't matter now! What does matter is what House we'll belong to moving forward," Daphne spat out before she could stop herself.

Tracey's eyes grew large as she suddenly realized what this was all about. "You want Potter! You want Harry bleedin Potter!" she yelled in disbelief. "No wonder I find you sitting here playing house with him! I suppose you already have the wedding planned and have talked about the number of babies you'll be having too!"

"No, that's not it," Daphne was quick to deny, but Tracey saw the guilt and fear that was upon her face. "We're not playing house, or anything for that matter," Daphne answered, well recalling the teasing she had given Harry about starting with the babies already when Andi and Teddy had moved in.

"Tell me then that you didn't set the whole encounter up! Potter just accidently bumped into you in Muggle London?" pressed Tracey. "Look me in the eye and tell me that wasn't a well thought out Slytherin plan," Tracey demanded while staring into Daphne's ice-blue eyes.

Daphne tried to retain eye contact as she crossed her arms over her chest defiantly. With a huff, she guiltily looked away after only a few seconds. "It's not what you think, Trace," she stated in a quiet tone as her demeanor rapidly cooled. Fear clutched at her heart that she had been discovered. While Tracey had been her friend all her life there was always the chance that she would rat her out, however ever small it was.

Tracey closed the distance between them and took both of Daphne's hands in hers, as her expression begged Daphne to tell her the truth. "Then tell me what it is. Explain it to me. We've known each other all our lives, and you've never had to hide things from me till now. I wake up one morning to learn that you're suddenly living with Harry Potter, the most eligible bachelor there is," the exasperated witch exclaimed with a humorless chuckle. "What am I supposed to think?"

"I'm not living with him," Daphne replied quickly. "He…he offered me something I needed. Something only he could give me," she tried to explain her reasoning, but all her thoughts were in a jumble as panic crept in, and she fought a primal urge to flee the danger she was heading into if she revealed the truth.

"What?" Tracey enquired more confused than ever. She could hear the fear in Daphne's voice, as well as the uncertainty which was so out of character from the confident witch she had known for so long.

"Shelter…," Daphne admitted so softly that Tracey had to strain to even hear it.

"…from your father," Tracey finished after a moment, as it suddenly made sense to her. After the defeat of Voldemort, Harry Potter was nigh on untouchable. Even a wealthy and influential man such as Gerald Greengrass wouldn't be able to do anything to The-Boy-Who-Vanquished, she realized. Tracey led Daphne over to the couch, and the two of them sat. "So why not tell me all this from the start," she asked, still holding the other woman's hands in hers.

Daphne gave a small shrug of her shoulders, but after a few moments, she confessed. "I feel, I don't know. Dirty, I guess. I mean at first, it was just Harry Potter. The Chosen One who we were all so certain was conceited and pompous. In my head, it seemed like great fun to dupe the Golden Boy into protecting me till I was of age. You recall all those stories in the Prophet about how much of an attention seeker he was," she said. "I figured someone with that big of an ego would be easy to fool."

Tracey could well see where Daphne would have gotten that image of Harry from. The stories in the Daily Prophet had been horrible, and those were the good ones. "Did you ever stop and think that if he was like that, he could have been just like Zabini, or even worse?"

Daphne gave a nod that she had, touched by the genuine concern she heard in Tracey's tone. "I figured I could handle him the same way I did Blaise."

Tracey gave the hands in hers a reassuring squeeze. "But he's not like Zabini, is he?" Tracey asked only to see her friend shake her head.

"He's kind and caring to a fault," she told Tracey with a small wistful smile. "He makes it a point to ask me every day how I am doing if I need anything or would like to go someplace. He actually went shopping with me for ten hours and not once did he complain," Daphne recalled in an effort to prove her point. "I even stretched it out an extra hour to see if he would and not even a peep out of him."

"Oh, that settles it then! You have to marry him!" Tracey exclaimed with an exaggerated eye roll, eliciting a giggle from her best friend which had been her intent all along. The humor broke the tense atmosphere and set them both a bit more at ease.

"But I tricked him," Daphne said, the small smile dropping from her face as quickly as it had appeared. "I feel awful about it. I truly do," she affirmed in the hopes that the other woman would believe her. "I just don't know what I should do about it. If Harry were to find out he might very well turn me over to my father, and we both know what will happen then," Daphne exclaimed distastefully.

Tracey sighed with insufferable disbelief at the mess that Daphne had gotten herself into. "You always did put far too much credit in the trash that the Prophet publishes, Daph. If you had spent any time at all watching Harry, you would have known he wasn't that way. If even half the stories at school were true about him, then he is the complete opposite of what the Prophet said."

The corners of Daphne's lips curled up slightly. "Harry is it? Sounds like someone has been keeping an eye on him," she teased her friend. Daphne's smiled turned into a full-blown grin upon seeing Tracey blush a bright red. "Spill it, Davis!" Daphne pestered.

"Alright! Alright!" Tracey confessed upon realizing she had been caught. "I had a thing for him back in third-year, long before the whole Goyle thing happened. He just looked so….I don't know, vulnerable. I just wanted to protect him," Tracey added with a small chuckle. "When you add in that wild hair of his back then, he was quite the little heartthrob!"

"Still is," Daphne quipped without a thought. The two witches looked at each other for a long moment before breaking out into giggles.

"Alright, I'll give you that," Tracey finally replied. "So who's this Anna bint he's off seeing today?" she asked.

"First I've heard of her," Daphne answered with a creased brow as she tried to recall Harry ever mentioning a girl. "I was certain Granger had Harry all but tied up."

"I didn't think she liked him like that," said Tracey. "Aren't they just friends?" It was no secret at Hogwarts that wherever Harry was Hermione wasn't far away and vice versa. At first, everyone thought they would become an item, a fact that led to many a witch hating the bushy-haired know-it-all. As time passed however and there were none of the usual signs of being a couple, meaning they were never caught in a broom cupboard, most finally accepted that they were just really close friends.

"Granger would have to be stupid not to want that," Daphne claimed, referring of course to Harry.

"One thing Granger isn't is stupid," Tracey affirmed.

"My point exactly," Daphne stated.

"You don't think…," Tracey started with before she began to nibble on her bottom lip in thought.

"Don't think what?" Daphne exclaimed after several moments went by and it didn't look like Tracey was going to finish her thought. "You can't just say that and not finish it, Trace!" she chastised.

"Sorry," Tracey offered apologetically. "You don't think that perhaps they haven't noticed what they feel for each other? I mean Harry is a bloke, so he's pretty much clueless as all blokes are." Daphne could do little but nod in agreement. It had only taken the twitch of her hips, a touch of her hand and a peek on the cheek to have him tripping over his words and agreeing to whatever she wanted. "Granger, though, if she's so bloody smart, you would have thought she would have worked it out ages ago."

"Language, Davis!" Daphne admonished out of habit. Tracey could curse like a bloke when she had a mind to. It was a habit that Daphne had been trying to break her of, with little success. "I bet she's over analyzing it," Daphne finally offered. "You know how those brainy ones are."

"Why yes. Yes, I do," Tracey preened as she sat up straighter and posed. Daphne just rolled her eyes at her friend's antics.

"Oh, before I forget, Harry's taking us shopping on Friday," Daphne told Tracey.

"We simply must go to the store you mentioned," Tracey nearly begged. Daphne had been quick to show Tracey the muggle undergarments that she had purchased. The thought of never having to wear a corset or what passed for underpants in the Wizarding world again, nearly had Tracey salivating at the very thought of owning her own. "Maybe Potter can even select for us some of those lingerie items you mentioned?" Tracey teased.

"Don't hold your breath," Daphne said with a chuckle. "Mister fearless Golden Boy bolted from the store just as soon as he realized what it was and wouldn't even return till I was all finished and everything was packed away."

"Pity." Tracey quipped. "No free show for him I take it?"

"I think he would pass out if I were to do that for him," Daphne chortled well naturedly.

"I nearly did," Tracey confessed, referring to when Daphne had modeled some of the items she had purchased. Daphne was far too busy blushing to offer a reply.

**-oOo-**

It was just after dusk when the tired wizard returned home and walked through the front door. After storing his broom in the cupboard next to the door, he stepped into the living room and greeted those there. "Good evening, Ladies," he offered to Daphne, Andi, and Tracey. The three had been sitting about and chatting while they waited for dinner to be ready. The topic of discussion, of course, had been the planned shopping trip on Friday. It wasn't every day that a wealthy bloke offered to take several women shopping as well as pay for it after all.

Daphne took in the man's appearance, and the amount of paint smeared all over his clothes before asking, "Did you manage to get any on the canvas?"

Harry looked down at himself and then back up at his blonde house guest, "Some," he answered with a lopsided grin. Daphne chuckled, once again thinking that he looked rather cute when he smiled like that. Unlike last time she didn't banish the thought as quickly as it had come. The young witch figured that if Harry was openly dating, then she was allowed to admire the merchandise.

"Well, as long as you had fun," Andi offered neutrally though she was amused by his appearance as well. "So I hear you're up for another shopping trip this Friday?" Andi was certain she saw the young man flinch at her words. She had heard from Daphne about the muggle undergarments and wanted some of her own. Perhaps a bit less daring than the one's Daphne and Tracey had been discussing just before Harry had walked in.

"S…sure," Harry stammered with a gracious smile. "Whatever makes you ladies happy? Any luck on your classes today?" he quickly asked to change the subject to anything other than shopping.

"No," Andi replied in a frustrated tone. "St. Mungo's Administration depart says I need to sit the classes before I can get the internship and the Dean of Admissions at the London Academy of Hospice & Healing says it's not his problem that I'm not in an internship and hence can't sit the required classes. He suggested that I start all over from scratch as a new student, which seems sort of a waste considering I had already completed my schooling previously."

"Well, let me know if there is anything I can do to help," Harry offered before turning away to go change.

"Harry." The man addressed turned, a bit surprised to hear Tracey call his name to get his attention. "I wanted to properly thank you for allowing me to stay here. It has been wonderful to be able to spend this time with Daphne. You have such a lovely home."

"Yes, well, it seemed rather important to Daphne, so it was important to me as well," Harry replied with a hesitant smile, not certain what to make of the witch's gratitude. "If you need anything please just let me or one of the house elves know. As you'll be living here, I want to make certain you're as comfortable as possible. Now, if you ladies will pardon me I best get changed before dinner is ready."

Harry apparated up to his room. He was fairly sure that dinner would be ready just as soon as he was ready, thanks to his House elves. Before changing, the young man sat down at his desk and hastily wrote out two letters. A pair of Black house owls swooped in through the open window and quickly took the dispatches. "Hopefully that helps somewhat," Harry mused as he changed into the clothes Winky had laid out for him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It still amazes me (as well as humbles me) that so many readers seem to be enjoying this tale. I do greatly appreciate all the favorite, follows and especially the reviews. I read each and every one of them, replying when and as time allows. Of course, that is a bit easier to do if you're logged in when you leave a review. ;-) If you're shy you can always drop me a private message, I don't bite…much…or often. Scratch that, I make no promises!
> 
> Sadly the characters seem to have taken over this story and are currently running amuck without an ounce of concern for what the Muse or I have to say. Hopefully, the Muse and I will be able to sedate them and get them back into their "I love to hug myself" white jackets before the next chapter is due.
> 
> As always, your reviews are not required, but they are greatly appreciated.
> 
> Kind Regards,
> 
> EJ Daniels
> 
> All characters within this story, unless otherwise stated are the sole property of J. K. Rowling the original writer of the Harry Potter series.


	7. Three Witches and a Wizard

**Chapter 7 - Three Witches and a Wizard  
. . .**

"No," Harry calmly answered for the third time in a row.

"But, Harry," Daphne whined rather attractively as she attempted to get her way with the wizard who was being all too stubborn as far as she was concerned. The young witch was dressed in stylish light blue muggle dress that Harry had bought her last time they had gone shopping together. Granted she picked it out, not him, though he did pay for it. The neckline of the dress was rather daring in that it dipped fairly low, far lower than Daphne was used to wearing. She had thought, when looking at herself in the mirror before leaving her room, that the soft swell of her breasts that barely showed was rather an enticing view that no ordinary man would be able to resist. _Perhaps I was wrong?_

"Absolutely not!" Harry declared adamantly. _Focus_ , he told himself, though it was hard to do with those… _things_...peeking out right in front of him as they were. How was he supposed to fight that? Granted, it wasn't a fair fight, but then again women have always had the upper hand in such situations. They were equipped with far too many weapons in their arsenals, after all, every single one designed to distract and beguile the weaker gender, men.

Daphne, not one to give up easily, soldiered on, determined to get her way. "But what if I can't-"

"I'm certain you'll manage just fine," Harry cut the pouting witch off before she could further try to convince him. It wasn't very easy to say no to Daphne, especially when she used _that_ look and her bottom lip stuck out so irresistibly as it was doing right at that moment. It was only with a Herculean effort that he had managed to keep his eyes on her face at all. Harry had forgotten momentarily, as he had forced his eyes up and off of what was peeking out the top of her dress, about her full pouting lips and her watery blue eyes, weapons the both of them for certain.

"But I may need help deciding," Daphne offered meekly as she leaned forward a bit further so that she could look him in the face. She wasn't happy that he had cut her off but decided to let that slide for now. Daphne had a different goal in mind and sacrifices must be made to reach one's objectives the young woman reasoned. A bit more of a lean to entice the reluctant wizard she thought. Like most women, she knew the way to get a wizard to do what she wanted.

Harry crossed his arms over his chest defensively and used every ounce of nerve and self-control he possessed to look anywhere but at the beautiful witch leaning forward before him. "I'm confident that Andi or Davis can offer their opinions," he assured her. "They are both women after all," he added as if it made all the difference in the world. Which it did, at least to his way of thinking.

Daphne went back to pouting outrageously once again as she stood erect once more as that ploy wasn't working, as unbelievable as that was. "But what if I want a man's opinion, Harry. Surely you wouldn't want me asking some other man, a complete stranger, which undergarments he thinks I would look best in?" Daphne asked in an innocent tone of voice.

The blonde witch's questions had two rather distinct effects on the young man. First, being male, his imagination was very helpful in providing him with images of said witch in the mentioned unmentionables. Again, like all males, Harry really had no control over his blood flow and hence shouldn't be blamed for its sudden southerly detour. Harry was already uncomfortable enough due to the topic of discussion without this added distraction cropping up as it were.

The other thing that happened was that the mental images awoke the primal male inside of Harry which made itself known. _Woman! Mine!_ It declared at the thought of some other bloke being asked their opinion concerning Daphne and her undergarments. The latter _Mine!_ sounded surprisingly like his godson Teddy when he claimed something as his own, Harry thought. _Abet in a much deeper and more manly tone of voice_ , Harry assured himself. "N…no," Harry stammered, his voice cracking slightly. _Yup, that sounded oh so manly!_ Harry silently cringed.

The besieged wizard turned towards Andi in a last ditch effort to escape his pending doom. The older witch was dressed in a dark skirt with a white blouse that gave the impression of being rather reserved but still managed to pass as muggle clothing in a pinch. "I think she's got you on this one, Harry," Andi told him before Harry could say anything. The older witch just chuckled at the look of betrayal that crossed Harry's face at her words.

Beside her, Tracey fought a losing battle to keep a scowl on her face. The corners of her mouth seemed to have a mind of their own and kept curving upwards, especially at the mortified look on Harry's face as Daphne started to drag him towards the lingerie store. The young woman was finding that she rather enjoyed the jeans and shirt she had borrowed from Daphne so that she would fit in with the muggles, though the blouse was a bit tight across the chest she thought.

Daphne had her arm wrapped securely around Harry's, just in case he tried to bolt. "I don't understand what the issue is, Harry," she stated innocently as they walked toward the glass doors to the store. "It's not as if I'm going to model each item for you and ask your opinion." Beside her, Harry stumbled and nearly went down as he suddenly felt lightheaded. Daphne only just managed to keep the triumphant gleam from her eyes as her smile widened ever so slightly.

Once inside the store, Harry kept his eyes on his shoes, thankful that they weren't the kind that was polished enough to reflect everything like a mirror. The witch on his arm led him about for a bit before pointing out a chair. "Oh look, a seat, Harry. Why don't you have a seat while we go off and find a few things to try on?"

"Thanks," Harry managed to mumble, still feeling a bit lightheaded. _How did I get talked into this_ , he bemoaned silently as the three women vanished into the depths of the store in search of items that he felt rather uncomfortable thinking about. _She's just trying to embarrass me_ , Harry reasoned, meaning Daphne. The young man decided that he would just have to put up with it and not let it get to him. _If I can face down Voldemort, I can certainly handle women's underwear!_ The uncomfortable wizard declared, gathering his lost courage and hardening his resolve to not allow Daphne to win this one.

To Harry, it felt like a lifetime passed before the three witches finally returned. The somewhat frazzled young man, showing his Gryffindor bravery, had managed to look about once or twice while they were gone. What he had seen had just confused him even more. _Wow, that one looked big enough for Hagrid to wear!_ Thankfully images of a cross-dressing half giant didn't manifest in his mind. Noticing that the others were finally returning, Harry hastily dropped his eyes to his hands in his lap and took a sudden interest in the cleanliness of his nails.

"All right there, Harry?" Daphne asked, pausing at the young man's side and resting a hand on his shoulder, giving it a gentle squeeze in the process. She thought it was rather cute how just being around women undergarments had the man all flustered. _I'm certain he'd faint dead away if he ever saw me in some of the items I have,_ she thought, recalling telling Tracey just that the other day.

Harry swallowed nervously, doing his best to ignore the garments hung over her other forearms. _Is that silk?_ "Sure," he managed to get out while still looking at his nails. "It's not so bad I guess," he told her boldly, daring to look up at her with a forced smile plastered on his pale face.

"Good. I'm glad you feel that way." Daphne replied with a knowing smile of her own, having noticed the cold sweat Harry had broken out in. "We shan't be long," she told him as she led the others through the curtained doorway that was right next to the chair Harry was seated in. "You use one of these small rooms for trying on the clothes," Harry heard Daphne tell the others to his immense surprise.

"Daph, you come with me as I'll need your help," Tracey said. Even Harry could hear the woman's uncertainty in her voice. Tracey had never been out into Muggle London before and had no real interaction with Muggles at all. The Davises were Half-bloods who desired greatly to be accepted by the Pure-bloods of their world. Due to that, they followed almost all of the customs of the Pure-bloods, including not associating with Muggles. The war had opened Tracey's eyes, though, and she had come to realize that there was a whole wide world out there that she knew next to nothing about.

"Alright," was the quick reply from the blonde witch, followed shortly by the sound of two curtains being opened and then slid closed. There were a few moments of silence before Harry heard Daphne tell Tracey what she needed to do. "It will be easier if you just strip, Trace."

"What?" Tracey exclaimed in surprise, her voice several octaves higher than usual.

"Oh come on! I've seen you starkers plenty of times!" Daphne scoffed playfully. "Afraid you've gained weight, are you?" she teased.

"Potter's right out there!" Tracey snapped back, clearly refusing to do as told. It was one thing to be unclothed in the privacy of your own room but to get naked in a public place with a man you once fancied not more than five feet away, well it was a bit more than Tracey was apparently ready for judging by the nervous tremor in her voice.

Harry silently had to agree with her way of thinking, he was sitting right there after all. If it was embarrassing for him, he could only imagine what it must be like for her. _Why is there just a curtain to cover the door? Why not a thick wooden door, or perhaps one made of steel, as well as a few silencing spells for good measure? A portal to another building wouldn't be unreasonable, would it?_

"Yes, and I'm sure that he was ever so glad to hear you announce that," Daphne agreed with her friend a bit sarcastically. A few more moments passed in silence. "Honestly Tracey! It's not as if he's going to sneak in here to take a peek at you!" Daphne finally said in a slightly exasperated tone.

"For his own sake, he'd better not!" Tracey exclaimed. "I'll hex his bits off if he does!" Harry was fairly sure that the fact that the last part was said in a much louder tone than anything previously was purely for his benefit.

"Red's really not a good color on you is it?" Daphne asked thoughtfully.

Tracey's voice, a bit puzzled, reached Harry. "Red? These are white."

"Not the panties you picked out, silly," Daphne clarified. "I meant your face. I didn't know you could blush that shade," she chuckled.

"Shush you!" Tracey growled back, turning a shade darker.

After a few more moments of near silence, an occasional rustling of clothes could be heard now and then, at which point Harry tried to ignore the fact that there was every likelihood that a naked witch was just a few feet away, Daphne spoke up once again. "No, you're putting it on wrong, the clasp goes in the back and your arms going through those."

"No laces to tie like on a corset?" Tracey asked while making the adjustments as Daphne had instructed.

"You'll actually be able to breathe without straining for a change," Daphne assured Tracey. Women's undergarments in the Wizarding world were still stuck on what had been in use a hundred and fifty years previously in the muggle world. The more modern brassieres hadn't become common till the early 1900's. Apparently, the Wizarding world had as yet to catch up. "If you think it feels wonderful now, wait till you've eaten. Those corsets, always forcing you to suck in your tummy, no wonder I was always full after only a few bites. There was no room for any more food," she giggled.

"It's still uncomfortable," Tracey offered after a moment and a bit more rustling behind the curtain.

"That's because you need to adjust them, so they're in there correctly," Daphne offered helpfully. "Here, lean forward, so they dangle more freely. That's it. Then reach in and situate them to where they're comfortable."

"Like this?" Tracey asked a bit doubtfully.

"No. Not like that. Hang on let me show you," Daphne's voice said from behind the curtain. "Let me get my dress off first, Trace," she offered innocently enough, followed by more sounds of fabric being removed.

"Morgana! Have you gotten bigger?" Tracey asked, rather surprised by the fact, "and they're heavier too," Tracey judged for herself with one hand.

"I have, and they are!" Daphne preened proudly as she was fondled.

"I'm still bigger," Tracey quipped back playfully.

"Only because you're older," Daphne told her. "Here, now watch. See, like this and then this. Then you stand up and lift up a bit, and they should be good." Harry couldn't help but notice Daphne's exasperated sigh a moment later. "You're still doing it wrong. Turn around," the younger girl directed, "let me do it for you."

Tracey shrieked rather loudly. "Bloody hell your hands are cold, Daph! Warm them first next time!"

"Language, Davis! Sorry," Daphne apologized after chastising Tracey first for swearing. "Besides, they'll be plenty warm shortly where they are right now," she added with a mischievous snicker as Tracey blushed yet again, knowing that the wizard just outside the dressing rooms had heard that last comment as well.

Harry sat petrified in place by the entire exchange taking place no more than a few feet from where he was located. There was no southerly flow of blood this time though as apparently all the blood in his entire body, in defiance of all the laws of gravity, had rushed to his head, particularly in the area of his face. Thoughts of showing Daphne that he could handle a bit of embarrassment had completely flown his mind. A tiny voice in Harry's head was yelling that he should run for his life, but his body wouldn't respond. The final pièce de résistance, sadly for the young wizard, was not far off.

"Daphne," Andi called from the next changing booth over. "I know you have your hands full with Tracey at the moment, but when you have a tic I could use a hand over here, dear," she stated. "Maybe both hands actually. Are these things supposed to be this small?" Andi asked in mild disbelief at how it was fitting her, or not fitting her, depending on how you wanted to look at it.

"They do come in different sizes, Andi," Daphne assured her.

"Really? Thank goodness," Andi replied in a relieved tone. "That probably explains why I'm bulging out all over the place with this one on. My Teddy would have loved me wearing this for him, though," she stated with an amused chortle.

Daphne slipped out of the booth Tracey was in, once she freed her hands, and slipped behind the curtain of Andi's booth. "Morgana, you're huge!" Daphne exclaimed upon seeing the other woman. "I thought Tracey was well developed, but this!" she said with a gesture.

"I heard that!" Tracey barked from the next booth over.

Rather than be offended, Andi smirked rather proudly. "Both of my sisters were ever so envious when they never filled out nearly as much as I did. I may look a great deal like Bella did, but I'm at least twice her size. She and Cissy hated the fact that the boys in school paid me all the attention."

"I can see why!" Daphne replied, forcing her eyes off the woman's chest with an effort. "Oh, look," she said, "these others look like they're larger sizes. Here, try this one," she instructed as she handed Andi a black sheer number with a strong underwire. Daphne only had to show Andi once how to properly adjust for the item to fit correctly, much to the blonde witch's disappointment.

"How do you know how to wear these?" Tracey asked once Daphne had returned to try on the few items she had selected. "I've never seen you wear Muggle clothes before, Daph, at least not till I saw you at Potter's."

"The first time I came in here one of the store clerks had to show me," Daphne explained. "For some reason, she kept asking me when the play would be opening and offering to come see it," Daphne confessed with a creased brow. At the time Daphne had been wearing typical Wizarding world robes, roughly mid-1800's attire, which was why the woman had mistaken her for a member of an acting troupe. "She seemed rather eager to help, though," the young girl recalled that the clerk had shown her several times how to tuck her breasts in the proper way.

It was only a few minutes more before Daphne left the changing rooms to check on Harry only to discover that the chair he had been seated in was now empty. Looking up she saw two older women who apparently worked there, bent over double with laughter while tears rolled down their faces. The young witch crossed the short distance to them as they struggled to regain control of themselves.

"Pardon me. Have you by chance seen a young man about this tall," she asked, holding up a hand at what she guessed was Harry's approximate height. "He had black hair, green eyes and was seated just there," she added as she pointed over her shoulder to the now vacant seat next to the change room door.

"Oh, dearie," one answered, wiping tears from her cheeks as she talked. "You'd best be holding on to that young man, he's a keeper!" she told Daphne, before pausing to try once again to catch her breath.

Daphne smiled graciously, not sure just how to take that comment. While she could readily admit that Harry was worth having, she was not in any hurry to settle down and be kept by anyone. _Not even if he does have the cutest crooked smile_ , she mused appreciatively. The young witch certainly didn't want to _keep_ anyone either.

"A keeper for certain," the other woman agreed readily. "Your young man, I thought he was going to make it right up to the end," she offered between amused chuckles, her shoulders shaking with silent mirth. "Any lad that has the chutzpah to take his sweetheart shopping here, as well as bringing her sister and mum along is one hell of a man, lass! Could teach my Alfie a thing or two I'd wager!" the woman gave a snort good-naturedly.

Daphne was too shocked by what the ladies were saying to have heard Andi and Tracey walk up behind her while the clerk was speaking. "Sweetheart?" Tracey asked a bit confused, having caught the tail end of the woman's comment.

"Oh aye, that lad of hers," the first lady clarified. "Damn funniest thing I've seen in a long while, I tell ya. He was sitting there just as red as a cherry, he was. Thought for sure his head was gonna explode if it went on much longer," she cackled.

The second clerk gestured towards Tracey and Daphne, "The two of you were going back and forth behind the curtain, and there he sat, just listening to it all word for word."

Both witches wore slightly puzzled expressions, not certain exactly what they could have said to cause that sort of reaction in Harry. It only took a second or two for them to replay their words in their heads. The younger two witches' faces turned red in embarrassment as they realized how their conversation might have sounded to someone listening in, especially if they were a certain young wizard.

"Thought for sure we were going to have call some medical people for him," the clerk added with a grin. "He kept getting redder and redder," she clarified before pointing at the two blushing girls. "That's the look he had! Just like that, it was! Surprise he didn't pass out."

"But it was you love that finally did him in," the first clerk said to Andi with a look of amused admiration. Seeing Andi's knowing expression she continued and explained for the other's benefit. "I think he was good right up until the bulging part, dearies. Ain't seen a man move that fast since they were giving away free pints down at the pub!" Both older women chortled in unison at the recollection of Harry's hasty flight from the store.

Tracey and Daphne simultaneously turned to look at Andi in disbelief, noting the rather smug smile the older witch wore. "Point for me," Andi snickered, shocking them further. Andi was fairly certain that was what the girls had been up to, what with all their grabbing and groping they had been carrying on about. The three women shared a good laugh at the mortified expressions her words brought forth on Daphne and Tracey's faces which reddened even further.

The three witches spent the next hour trying on different items and making their selection of what to purchase. Daphne mostly grabbed things for the others to try as she already had almost everything she needed. The young woman had a keen eye for what looked good on the other two and wasn't shy about telling them if something didn't. She was, however, a bit envious of the other two witches who were rather more developed than she was.

They had come to an unspoken agreement that Harry would probably need a long while to collect himself. They didn't mind as it meant more time to try on different items. Daphne even managed to find several silk dressing gowns that she just had to have! The extra time also allowed the younger girls to get to know Andi a bit better as well. Shopping proved to be a rather good way to bond, well at least for them. Maybe not so much for Harry.

Daphne stepped from the store and glanced about, spotting Harry surprisingly quickly. He was seated on a bench not far off from the store, drinking a red can of some Muggle beverage. She was rather surprised at just how easily she was able to locate him amongst all the other people hurrying about attempting to do their own shopping. It was almost as if she could sense where he was.

_It's probably just due to spending so much time with him these past few weeks_ , she figured dismissively. After all, if she was honest with herself, ever since discovering Harry was dating she had found herself watching the man more and more. There was an attraction developing there that she wasn't quite certain how to handle or what to do with. The blonde witch quickly made her way over to Harry, still somewhat embarrassed by what he had overheard, but determine not to show it. "Harry?" she said sweetly to get his attention.

"I'm not going back in there, Greengrass!" Harry stated in a tone that made it abundantly clear to the young woman that there was nothing she could do to get him back in there short of a stunner spell and levitating him through the air. _Thankfully she doesn't have her wand_ , Harry thought while giving thanks for that minor detail.

_Back to last names are we_ , she noted with a small, sad silent sigh. "But you have to pay," Daphne told him, a slight pouty whine creeping into her voice. It just wouldn't do to let him have his way after all, at least not without a bit of a fight. _Perhaps Granger doesn't have him completely broken in yet? We'll have to work on that I suppose,_ she mused, realizing that Harry could still be very stubborn when he wanted to be.

"No. No, I don't," Harry replied giving her a broad smile that was filled with relief as he reached into his pocket and pulled out a plastic card before holding it out to her. "You do!" he told her rather proudly at having outwitted her.

Daphne had seen him pay for their purchases before with the card. It wasn't hard to figure out that it must be a means of buying stuff within the Muggle world. _A great deal easier than carrying around a sack of galleons_ , she had to admit. "Don't you have to sign for it, though?" Daphne asked, remembering him doing just that before as well. She had been intrigued by the pen that he had used instead of a quill, finding it very inventive that the Muggles had put the ink inside of the item.

"You can this time," Harry replied as he held up the card facing her. There in gold letters was her name. The women had been in the store long enough for him to apparate away and acquire a card for Daphne. "This is tied to a Muggle bank, much like Gringotts, except it is run by Muggles," Harry explained. "The Royal Bank of Scotland," he told her before she could ask. "The card lets the store issue a bill of sale to the bank who in turn pays them the money that I, or in this case you, spend there."

"Royal Bank? Since when are you royalty, Harry," Daphne asked with an amused grin.

"I'm not, Ron is." Seeing her blank stare, he added, "Weasley is our King?" Harry chuckled at his own joke, finding it rather clever if he did think so himself. Seeing Daphne's look of uncertainty, he waved it off figuring it wasn't worth explaining to her.

"No, that's just the name of the bank is all. It was probably founded by the Royals or something," he offered by way of explanation as he really didn't know himself. "Just give them that card and when they give you the slip of parchment sign it where it says signature."

"I can use this anywhere?" Daphne asked skeptically as she accepted the card from him, turning it over and eyeing the back of it before looking at her name on the front of it once again.

"Most places," Harry assured her with a shrug. "Not all places accept cards of course, but many of them do. It's only for the Muggle world, though. Won't do you any good within our world."

Daphne let out a loud squeal as she threw her arms around Harry's neck in a tight hug and planted a hard, quick kiss upon his cheek. "Thank you, Harry!" the elated woman exclaimed before dashing back to the store to put her new Muggle galleon card to good use. A slightly dazed Harry couldn't help but admire the view of her receding figure or the sway of her hips.

**-oOo-**

The table in the library of Hogwarts was covered with all manner of medical books. There were many books from the Wizarding world but also a fair number from the Muggle world as well. Hermione Granger, Head Girl of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry was currently looking at none of them. Instead, the bright young woman was focused rather intently on the lengthy scroll before her. The rather loud and incessant scratching of the tip of her quill could be heard as she worked away.

"Hello, Hermione," Luna Lovegood voiced as she dropped into the seat next to the writing witch. "Find anything of use yet?" the seventh year Ravenclaw enquired eyeing the stacks of books. The two of them had been at it for several days now and had, as yet, to find nothing that might help her father.

"Not yet," Hermione finally answered when she paused to dip the tip of her quill into the ever-fill inkwell. Just as quickly she was off and writing once again.

Luna looked over, curious as to what her friend was so focused on. Noting that Hermione was jotting down a list, and a rather lengthy one at that, she started to read some of the items on the list. "Runes? Those are names of books that deal with runes, aren't they," she asked, a bit surprised.

"Harry wrote me and mentioned that for one of his projects he ran into some runes he wasn't familiar with," she explained.

"Did he send you a copy of the runes?" Luna inquired. It seemed like the logical thing to do to her after all. If you needed to know what the runes meant you sent them to those best able to tell you. Hermione was certainly well qualified as Luna saw it. She was almost just as qualified, as well as the two of them, sat the same Ancient Runes class this year.

"That was my thought as well," Hermione answered. "Of course he didn't. He's still being rather quiet about whatever it is he's working on," she added in a slightly frustrated tone. "Perhaps he thought the runes would give me a clue as to what it is."

"So you're sending him a list of books on runes?" Luna replied, having sussed out what the list was for now that she had all the facts. "That way he can look them up himself."

"Exactly!" Hermione answered with a smile. More and more it seemed that she and Luna thought alike. They were both brilliant witches and appeared to enjoy many of the same things in life. Certainly, they had their differences. Luna was far more apt to believe in something she couldn't see or touch whereas Hermione wanted hard physical proof. Rather than this fundamental difference separating them, it seemed to rather balance out their friendship. Of course, another item Hermione had discovered they had in common was Harry. They both apparently missed him a great deal.

"Well then you'd best include _Spellman's Syllabary_ ," Luna offered, not having seen it in the witch's list.

Hermione hastily looked over the two-foot scroll, shocked that she had forgotten such an obvious choice to add. "I can't believe that I forgot that one," Hermione confessed as she hastily jotted it down at the end of the list. "I even own a copy of it as I got tired of having to run to the library every time I wanted to look something up in it. Thanks, Luna!"

Luna gave a small smile. The young witch didn't smile about a great many things these days, so Hermione was happy to see it. "How's Harry doing?" the Ravenclaw Prefect questioned.

"Well enough it seems," Hermione told her. "He's only written the twice now. He claims that he's been a bit busy of late. You recall, Tonks?" Hermione asked with an arched brow.

"Nymphadora?" Luna asked, using the witch's given name as she rather liked the sound of it.

Hermione managed not to cringe at the name, thinking it rather a ghastly name to give to a child, especially a female one. "Yes, the same, though now I guess her last name is Lupin," Hermione agreed, refusing to use Nymphadora. "Apparently her mum is now staying with Harry along with the Lupin's son, Teddy. Harry was named as Teddy's godfather by Professor Lupin it seems."

Luna's small smile grew a bit more at this news as she was happy for Harry. "He'll make a good father someday," Luna said aloud, "don't you think so, Hermione? Can't you just imagine it, Harry sitting with his baby on his knee and reading to him or teaching him about Quidditch?"

"W…what?" Hermione stammered as she felt her cheeks begin to warm into a blush. The woman's imagination showed her an image of Harry seated in a chair with a small baby in his arms. The fact that the child in her imaginary future had bushy brown hair and rather large front teeth did not escape her notice. _Just what am I thinking!_ Hermione chastised herself.

"You know, Harry's babies," Luna answered a bit more dreamily than she had been in a long while. "I wonder how many he would want." Luna mused more to herself than to the witch with her. "I bet he'll want a big family."

Hermione's answer, still rather lost in her own daydream, slipped out before she even realized it. It really wasn't her fault as she was rather enjoying the images Luna's words had sparked. It was a rather enjoyable daydream after all. "I would think no more than three for us. Maybe a fourth in later years once the others are grown a bit."

" _Us_ , huh?" Luna ribbed her friend playfully causing the older woman to blush brightly as soon as she realized what she had said.

"No! I mean…," Hermione stuttered as she hastily backpedaled from her remarks. _Why did I even say that! I gave up on Harry back at the end of fourth-year!_ At the time she had been seized by an overwhelming fear that the young wizard she loved was certainly going to die one day. More likely sooner rather than later.

Young and completely inexperienced in such matters of the heart, Hermione hadn't been confident she could handle the loss of Harry if she allowed herself to become good and truly in love with him. After logically approaching the problem, her younger self had deduced that Ron was the safer choice of her two friends. _If anything were to happen to Ron, Harry would be there for me and if anything happened to Harry…well, Ron would help me through it. Wouldn't he?_

The more mature witch of now suddenly realized just how unlikely that would have been. She had more than once commented on the fact that Ron's emotional range was less than that of a teaspoon, had she not. If anything, Hermione was fairly sure that it would have been her trying to help Ron cope with the loss of their friend. _Merlin! Was I really that naive?_ She pondered, mulling over what her younger self had thought. _It's a good thing we all made it through the war alive_.

"Well, why not?" Luna asked, unaware of the thoughts spiraling through her friends head and heart. "I mean, Harry is a wonderful guy after all. I don't think I know any others that are as giving or as caring as he is," Luna voiced. "If there is someone who is better father material, I'd like to know who."

Hermione's scattered thoughts were pulled back by the younger witch's words. She most certainly couldn't deny Luna's observations. _Harry is giving to a fault, often even at the expense of himself_ , Hermione thought, recalling how he had given her access to his own vault when he realized she hadn't any means to support herself. Harry had also given his winnings from the Tri-Wizard Tournament to the Twins so that they could start up their business.

It had been her best friend's selflessness and caring that had first seen her falling for him back in their first year. _How is a witch not to fall for a bloke that repeatedly risks his life to save mine?_ She wondered, recalling the troll, Basilisk and the Dementors. Harry had always placed his friends before himself, truly wanting them to be happy as well as safe. While it was true, she had helped him with research and studying spells, but he had repeatedly risked his life for her. It was just too hard not to love him!

Recalling their time together in school brought to the surface all those old feelings once again. Harry's absence in her life these past several weeks hadn't helped at all. It had only made her realize that try as she might not to, at some point, she had good and truly fallen in love with her best friend. _What a fool I was back then_ , she berated herself. _Some Gryffindor I am! Too afraid I might get hurt if Harry were to die. How pitiful_ , she told herself, lamenting the past and possibilities of what could have been had she only had the courage to give it a go.

"I am so glad that Voldemort is dead and Harry didn't die as well," Luna continued with, oblivious as to the turmoil boiling inside the witch next to her. "Hopefully he'll be able to find some happiness now for himself," Luna said in a rather wistful tone of voice, lost in her own thoughts of the handsome wizard with emerald eyes. Harry was one of her best friends, but that didn't prevent her from thinking he was rather…well, dreamy.

Hermione suddenly sat up straighter in her chair as her eyes widened. "Harry's alive." She said in little more than a whisper, which of course Luna heard clearly as they were in the library where everyone whispered. "The war is over," the Head Girl added in the same tone as if only now just having realized these two facts.

"Can't get anything past you," Luna teased a bit while wondering at the rather shocked expression Hermione was currently sporting. It wasn't often that Luna had seen the witch surprised before. She found she rather liked the fact that someone as bright as Hermione Granger could still be surprised by life now and then.

"It's not too late!" Hermione suddenly exclaimed, drawing the looks of others from nearby tables at her loud voice in the silence of the room. Luna was rather startled when Hermione turned and grasped her hand rather tightly. "There's still time isn't there?" the Gryffindor witch asked.

"Y...yes," Luna stammered, not sure what had come over her friend. "Of course there is," she tried to assure Hermione only to see the woman in question stand and hastily begin packing her things away.

"I have to go," Hermione offered, not really realizing just what she was saying. "I need to go write a letter," she continued with as she held up the parchment with its list of books on runes, "to Harry," she added as if that alone cemented her decision. Turning about suddenly, Hermione threw her arms around the petite witch and hugged her while delivering a quick peck to Luna's cheek. "Thank you, Luna! You're brilliant!" she said before hastily fleeing to the safety of the Head Girl's suite.

Luna sat rather dazed, and a bit confused well after Hermione had left. She wasn't sure just what she had done but as it seemed to make Hermione happy she was glad to have done it. Sitting there alone in the library the young Ravenclaw witch couldn't help but think about her friend's final words. "It's not too late, there's still time," she said aloud softly as if weighing each word for its significance. A sudden thought occurred to Luna when she took what she had said concerning Harry's happiness and coupled it with Hermione's words. Not pausing to talk herself out of it, the petite blonde withdrew parchment, quill, and ink from her own bag and wrote.

_Dear Harry,_

_I hope this finds you in good health and well spirits. I trust that your projects, whatever they may be, are going well for you. Remember to be mindful of Nargles and put up proper protection to keep them away. I would be exceptionally sad if they came and stole away all your hard work. If you need help with making the necklaces, as you don't strike me as the earing type, I'll be more than willing to make some for you._

_I hope you don't mind me writing you out of the blue, Harry. Do you? I have missed you very much this summer as well as now, here at Hogwarts. I wasn't aware you weren't returning to school, but I guess I should have realized that. I'm certain it would have been far too painful for you to be here not to mention all the additional attention your presence would warrant. Poor Hermione doesn't get a moment's rest from people wanting to speak with her._

_Now, as for my reason for writing you, other than to ensure you were well of course. Which you are, aren't you? The first Hogsmeade weekend of the term is fast approaching and will be here next weekend. I would like very much for you to join me for it. I feel that this is rather owed to me, by you, Harry. After all, you did rather up and leave me in a hurry our last date, at Professor Slughorn's party that time in my fifth year. I would like ever so much to finish our date that Malfoy interrupted. Please say you will come. I'm certain it will be great fun._

_Love & Tickles,_

_Luna_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Some of you might be thinking that the scene at the start of this chapter could never happen. I'm here to tell you that it can and did. I won't mention which side of the curtain I was on, but I will say that it was all rather embarrassing for everyone involved…well, except the two store clerks who I am certain got a good chuckle out of it for days afterward. Though I doubt that was the first time something like that happened there. Oh, the joys of those high school years!
> 
> So Hermione had an epiphany of sorts I guess you can say. I didn't want her to be using the standard "I'm not good enough for Harry" (she most certainly is!) or that "I'm so smart I didn't know how I felt for him" that we see so often. I can imagine that an inexperienced young teenager would be frightened by the thought of losing the boy she was in love with. Logically she made the safer choice as we learned. Sometimes the brain does trump the heart as we can, amazingly enough, talk ourselves out of something we probably shouldn't have.
> 
> As always, your reviews are not required, but they are greatly appreciated.
> 
> Kind Regards,
> 
> EJ Daniels
> 
> All characters within this story, unless otherwise stated are the sole property of J. K. Rowling the original writer of the Harry Potter series.


	8. Luna In The Daylight

**Chapter 8 – Luna In The Daylight  
. . .**

_My Dearest Harry,_

The young witch stared at the words at the top of the parchment for a full minute before she crumpled it up and tossed it to the floor. After leaving Luna in the library, Hermione had hurried to her room. It was a miracle that she managed to get there without being stopped once along the way. _That has to be some sort of sign_ , she mused to herself as she selected a new piece of parchment. The Head Girl couldn't walk down a hallway without someone haling her for one reason or another. The irony of seeing that as a _sign_ when such things were rubbish did not escape her.

_My Dearest,_

_A bit_ _too forward?_ She pondered as she regarded the latest choice of opening phrases. This would be her ninth if she were keeping track of such things. _Which I most certainly am not!_ It was all good and well to say you were going to write a guy a letter, but it was another thing entirely to actually do it. It was nothing like writing an essay after all.

It would have been so much easier if it had been. ' _I expect you to write an essay on informing the gentleman you're smitten with the fact that you fancy him. Have it to me by Thursday of next week. No more than three feet of parchment, Miss Granger!'_ she heard Professor McGonagall's voice say in her head. _Just how do you tell your best friend that you fancy him?_ Hermione stared at the paper for a moment more before it too found a new home on the floor. Letter writing had never been this difficult before for the verbose young woman.

_Harry Dear,_

The young witch's cheeks blushed as she read over the words before her. _That sounds like we're married already!_ As she balled up the parchment, tossing it aside and selected a new piece, she reflected on just what she was doing. _I'm in love with Harry. With Harry!_ The girl's grin, when it came, made her cheeks hurt a little bit but she hardly noticed due to the rapid beating of her heart. _I Love Harry Potter!_ Just as quickly as the smile had appeared, it disappeared. _What if he doesn't love me?_

One thing Hermione Granger was not, was stupid. No one could ever accuse her of being that. _I know Harry loves me_ , she reminded herself, a familiar warmth built within her chest at the very thought. _The question I need to know the answer to rather is if he is_ in _love with me._ The two of them had been through far too much not to have come to care for one another. You couldn't have repeated near-death experiences with a person and not form some type of bond with them.

_I can do this_ , she reassured herself forcibly. _I just have to approach it logically is all_? Hermione sat and chewed the end of her quill in silent contemplation for several long moments. _How exactly does one write logically about their emotions which are, as often as not, anything but logical?_ "Bloody hell," she growled under her breath and then hastily looked about guiltily to make certain no one had heard her. As often as she had called Harry and Ron on their use of foul language, she would have been mortified if one of them had heard her just then. "Thank goodness," she heaved a sigh of relief when she realized she was alone in her room.

Hermione stared at the blank parchment before her when she suddenly realized what was preventing her from telling Harry. "This isn't something you put in a letter." The witch gave a slight nod of approval of her own words. "You can't tell Harry you love him this way. No, you have to do it face to face with him, so there is no misunderstanding," she told herself. Taking up her quill and dipping it in her Ever-fill inkwell, the young woman began her letter the same way she always did.

_Dear Harry,_

_I hope this finds you well. I'm ever so happy to hear that Professor Lupin named you as Teddy's Godfather! He couldn't have selected a more deserving person. I am sure that you will be brilliant at it. Sirius was a good teacher, I'm sure. No broomsticks till Teddy is older, though!_

_As you are being rather enigmatic about your projects, I really wasn't certain which runes you were referring to in your last letter. I have included (see the other parchment) a listing of a few books on runes that should help you decipher the ones you've run into. If you still have questions you could always just send me a copy of the runes themselves. Luna and I would be happy to figure them out for you._

_Speaking of Luna, I fear that she is not doing well. She tries to hide it and keeps herself busy with classes as well as her Prefect responsibilities. However, I can see it. She is not the Luna we knew before the war, Harry. There are issues at home which I can't really go into without her permission. I think it would be sweet if you could take the time to write to her. I'm sure it would help her immensely._

_I'm looking forward to the holidays, though it seems as if they cannot get here quick enough. I'm sure part of that is because I miss you and want to see you. When I do come and stay at your home, there is something rather important that I wish to speak to you about. It is nothing bad and certainly nothing that has to be done right away either. I just would prefer to discuss it face to face rather than through letters._

_Anyways I'd best get back to my studies as it is my NEWTs year after all! I'm certain you're terribly busy now that there is a baby in the house as well as your cousin. I think it is great that she wants to continue her education and become a healer! Do take care of yourself, Harry. I'm not there to look after you now so don't make me worry. Write back as time allows. I miss you!_

_Love Always,  
Hermione_

Reading the last part over again Hermione thought it sounded rather awkward, at least to her. The last _I miss you_ looked particularly needy to the insecure witch. "No," Hermione told herself. "I have to start by laying the groundwork. It is important that Harry knows that I care about him and love him after all. That way he'll be more accepting of my feelings," she paused and swallowed nervously as her cheeks heated into a blush, "when I finally tell him."

Placing the letter in an envelope, she hastily sealed it to prevent herself from removing the parchment and changing it. It wasn't long before she found herself at the foot of the owlery, having argued with herself all the way there, as well as turned about once or twice. In a few short minutes, the missive was affixed to an owl's leg and off to Harry. All the way back to the school Hermione second guessed her decision, only relenting when a student stopped her to ask about the war and how it was to be friends with _the_ Harry Potter.

**-oOo-**

Harry sighed wearily and set his quill down carefully so as not to mar any of the parchments that were spread all about his desk. The tired wizard removed his glasses and massaged the bridge of his nose between his eyes for a long moment. Slipping his glasses back on Harry eyed the stack of waiting papers, swearing that it had grown larger, even though he had spent the last three hours working to decrease its size.

"Who knew there would be so much paperwork?" he asked in disbelief. "It never ends."

When he had first envisioned his project, it had all seemed so simple. Take an unused bit of land, put people on it, see they had what they required, and that was it. The young man was quickly discovering that there were a million details that went into it. Looking at the next sheet of parchment he read, "Property tax." _Make that a million and one_. With another weary sigh, he signed where it was needed and set the paper into the completed stack. "Kreacher."

There was the usual small _pop_ that announced the arrival of a house elf. "Master has called for Kreacher?"

"Yes, Kreacher," Harry replied as he regarded the Black family elf. "Where is my godson?" Harry had spent the morning playing with the small boy who was off and running these days. So by _playing_ it meant that Harry gave chase while Teddy laughed and thought it was all good fun to run away from his pursuer. He couldn't take his eyes off the toddler for a second without Teddy getting into something!

It was one of the things Harry loved best about his life. Currently, he could make all the time he wanted for Teddy as well as Andi. _Family is the most important thing there is_ , Harry thought to himself as he recalled the peals of laughter, both Teddy's as well as his own, that had echoed through the halls of the house that morning. _At least when I'm not stuck in here doing paperwork_ , he groused silently.

"Winky has put the young tike down for a bit of a kip," Kreacher replied. "It seems that he was rather worn out after this morning's entertainment. Kreacher believes he still slumbers, Master." The house elf's word dashed the wizard's hopes of using the child as an excuse to keep from doing further paperwork.

Harry had to grin at the almost reproachful tone in Kreacher's voice. "Well, then I am sure he will sleep long and well." In the short time that Teddy had been living at Westfield Manor, the elves had come to love and care for the boy, even Kreacher who had come to refer to Teddy as _Tike_. In Winky's case, you'd almost think the toddler were her own she was so protective of him.

Harry suspected that the elves rather enjoyed the fact that Teddy was still trying to morph himself to look like a house elf, though he had thankfully as yet to succeed. _Certainly not from lack of trying_. "Do I have any other work for today?" Harry enquired with a dissatisfied look at the mountains, as he saw it, of paperwork upon his desk.

"Master has enough work already," Kreacher quipped back, eyeing the large pile of documents that his master hadn't gotten to as yet. "Perhaps Master would like Kreacher to bring him some strong tea or some espresso?"

Harry stared at Kreacher for a long moment trying to decide if the house elf had just implied that he might need some caffeine to get the work done. "Yes, that would be exceptionally helpful," he finally replied, agreeing that he was certainly going to need tea or a Pepper-Up potion to see it all done before dinner time.

Kreacher disappeared with a small pop just as two brown owls flew in through the open window. Harry removed the letters from each owl before giving them both a treat. The greedy owls snatched the food from his hands and quickly flew back out the window as they hadn't been told to wait for a reply. Harry, recognizing the handwriting on the outside of one envelope as Hermione's, quickly snatched it up and tore it open.

Harry paused in his reading to eye the two-foot long parchment that had been included. "A short list," he snorted after seeing the thirty to forty book titles on the list. Picking up where he had left off, Harry read over Hermione's concerns about Luna. "I should have written her during the summer," Harry chastised himself, feeling guilty.

Harry's summer had not been all fun and games. There had been the trip to Australia as well as his fight with Ginny which brought about their engagement. At the time he was certain had he written another girl and Ginny had discovered the fact, the results wouldn't have been pretty. _Luna is my friend. I should have written her regardless_ ," he scolded himself.

The young man's brow creased as he read the rest of the letter. It made him feel good to know that apparently, Hermione was missing him just as much as he was missing her. The fact that she had something important to discuss made him feel a bit apprehensive, though. "I wonder what it could be about."

No sooner had the words left his mouth than understanding dawned on Harry. "So, this is her way of getting back at me," he chuckled. "Her tit for tat, because I won't tell her what my projects are," Harry said knowingly, seeing through Hermione's plans. "Nice try Miss Granger, but you'll have to do better than that if you want to ruffle me," he said, congratulating himself for not being fooled by the witch's devious ploy.

Setting the letter aside to reply to later, Harry opened the second missive and was surprised to see that it was from Luna. "Nargles," he mumbled with a grin as he read what she had written. After completing the letter, Harry sat back and pondered what to do. He knew that there was only really one possible answer, especially given what Hermione had written to him regarding Luna. Taking a clean piece of parchment from a desk drawer, Harry wrote a reply.

Kreacher returned and served Harry tea while the young man wrote. "Don't go just yet, Kreacher. I would like for you to deliver this for me once I am done."

"Of course, Master," Kreacher replied as he stood waiting at the side of the desk.

Harry finally finished and sat back to allow a few minutes for the ink to dry. "How are you, Kreacher?" he asked as he took a sip of his tea.

"Kreacher is well, Master," the house elf dutifully replied.

"I'd imagine you and Andi have spent some time catching up?" Harry enquired.

"Kreacher lives to serve the noble House of Black," the small creature replied. "It is well to have a true Lady of the House to serve once again."

"Yes…well," Harry stammered, the elves word sounding a great deal like the Pure-blood dogma he had heard enough of while at Hogwarts. The young wizard distracted himself by folding the letter and slipped it into an envelope before sealing it with the Potter family ring. "Please deliver this personally to Luna Lovegood at Hogwarts. Make certain no one else sees you giving it to her," Harry instructed as he handed the letter over.

"Kreacher lives to serve, Master," the house elf replied after accepting the letter and just before disappearing.

Harry sat for a good bit as he enjoyed his tea, Kreacher's parting words echoing in his thoughts. "Too bad house elves are absolutely rubbish at paperwork," he stated as he eyed the seemingly never ending stack of documents awaiting his review. The longer he thought about it a plan slowly began to make its presence known. Slipping another parchment from his desk, Harry once more began to write.

_Bob,_

_I am becoming somewhat overwhelmed by the deluge of paperwork that I am ill prepared for. I would like to hire an assistant or two for my project. One of them must be able to handle the day to day paperwork while the others should be responsible for seeing to the needs of my guests. I know that there are already three house elves there, but even they are having difficulties in keeping up. Please find people that I can trust to do a good job._

Harry regarded the letter, uncertain just how to sign it. _'Yours in Profitability' was how Bob had signed the letter to me_ , Harry recalled. The young wizard's brow creased in thought as _'Yours in Gold'_ just didn't seem appropriate and lacked a certain flair. It also reminded him far too much of the moniker he used to be called by, ' _The Golden Boy_.' _You're not a boy any longer_ , he reminded himself. In the end, Harry simply signed his name, _Harry James Potter_. "That'll do I guess."

The remainder of the afternoon was devoted, abet reluctantly, to the processing of the paperwork which Harry had allowed to pile up through the course of the week. As dusk made its presence known outside his window Harry finally set his quill aside and made his way downstairs for dinner, where he found Andi waiting for him.

"What did you do, Harry!" Andi demanded, standing near Daphne's chair at the table, with her hands on her hips while Tracey and the blonde witch watched the exchange with interest.

Harry, caught completely off-guard and not really sure if the witch was actually angry or not, answered with the first thing that came to mind. "Paperwork?" he offered with a bewildered look. They had not yet been living together long enough for Harry to be able to tell exactly what mood Andi was in. It had taken him several years to learn the clues that Hermione broadcast when she was in a bit of a temper.

"Then perhaps you can explain what this is!" said the older witch as she held forth a piece of folded paper. "I came home today to find this waiting for me."

Harry forced a smile even though he was on uncertain ground and tried for a bit of humor. "I haven't mastered the art of mind reading as yet, but I suspect that's a bit of parchment." The witch's answering glare told him that Andi hadn't found his comment particularly humorous.

During the exchange Daphne slipped the parchment from Andi's hand and opened it, reading it over rather quickly. "It says here that you've been accepted into an Internship at St. Mungo's as well as offered a scholarship to the London Academy of Hospice and Healing," she announced with a low whistle. "Nicely done, Andi!" Daphne congratulated the older witch.

"I didn't _do_ anything!" Andi corrected, never taking her eyes off the wizard before her who had started to squirm a bit. "He did something. What did you do, Harry?" she asked again in a more even tone of voice.

"Nothing," Harry was quick to reply. Seeing the disbelieving expression on his cousin's face, he added, "Really, it was nothing."

"That nothing sure sounds like something," Tracey quipped from her place at the table, ignoring the look Harry gave her at her words.

"Look," Harry backpedaled a bit defensively, "all I did was write them a letter and ask if there was any way they could help with your situation," he confessed.

"Did it ever occur to you that upon receiving a letter from Harry Potter, the man who killed the Dark Lord, that they would bend over backward to help you?" Andi enquired in an exasperated tone of voice.

"No," Harry answered a bit sheepishly. The thought had never actually crossed his mind. While he was famous and was often reminded of the fact, he did his best to ignore it. "I never really thought about it. I mean why should they?"

"I was very capable of accomplishing this on my own," Andi told him as she took the parchment back from Daphne and held it out to indicate it. "I didn't need your help with it, Harry! I'm a grown woman for Merlin's sake!"

Harry's face clouded up as her words stung more than he thought they would have. "I'm sorry, but you're part of my family now. You and Teddy both are! You wanted to become a healer, and all I wanted to do was help you. All my life I have wanted nothing to do with my fame. When I first learned of the Wizarding world, it seemed everyone knew far more about me than even I did. I've hated my fame, but if it sees to it that you get to accomplish your dreams, even accidentally, then I'll use it if I have you. I would move mountains for my family!" Harry stated, a bit angrier than he had intended.

The three witches stared in astonishment, never having seen or heard Harry angry before. There was little doubt that Harry would do just as he said when it came to his family. The two younger witches couldn't help but wonder just what it would be like to be a part of his family and have Harry wanting to make them happy as he had apparently tried to do for Andi.

Andromeda crossed the distance to Harry, and before the wizard could step back, she engulfed him in a hug. "No, I'm sorry, Harry," Andi apologized to the young man she held to her bosom. "We Blacks are a prideful lot," she offered. "Thank you, Harry."

"You're family. You and Teddy are all I've got," Harry told her as he slipped his arms around her and returned the hug tightly. "It is important to me that both of you are happy. I really will do whatever it takes to see to that," he assured her.

"Yes, well, don't go moving any mountains just yet, alright?" she asked with a chuckle, causing Harry to blush slightly as the woman's chest bounced rather nicely where it was pressing up against him. "You're a very sweet man, Harry Potter," Andi told him, and she leaned away, but not before leaving a kiss on his cheek which brought a blush to his face.

At the table, Daphne watched the two of them. Andi's arms were still around Harry's neck while his arms were still around the older witch's waist. A pain of jealousy shot through the young woman at the closeness the two clearly shared. Such affection and carrying were seldom seen within the Greengrass household. Daphne found that she wished it was her in Harry's arms at that moment.

Beside the blonde witch, Tracey's face darkened into a scowl as she noted the open look of longing that Daphne currently wore as she stared at Harry.

**-oOo-**

Luna Lovegood was an attractive witch, at least she was when she took the time to care about such things, which wasn't often. Today was one of those rare days, though. The Ravenclaw Prefect stood in line near the main doors to the castle and watched as others climbed into the carriages that would whisk them away to Hogsmeade. When it was her turn, she stepped forward and smiled brightly at Hermione who was checking names off a list. "Hello, Hermione."

"Luna?" Hermione replied in surprise at seeing her friend not only there, but all dressed up as well. _Is that cosmetics she's wearing?_ "Going to Hogsmeade?" the Head Girl enquired dutifully as it was her task to list everyone leaving the castle for the hamlet today.

Luna's smile widened just a bit as her pale gray eyes sparkled with happiness as she nodded. "I have a date!" the excited girl confessed even as a pink tinge appeared upon her alabaster cheeks.

"Oh? Who's the lucky gentleman?" Hermione asked, more than a little curious. She hadn't seen Luna this happy since Harry had requested to escort the younger Ravenclaw to Professor Slughorn's party. While that night had turned out rather poorly, it had all started off very well. _Whoever it is I'm glad she's so happy about it! She could do with a generous helping of happiness in her life right about now._

Luna blushed further as she leaned in and replied discreetly, "It's a secret."

Hermione thought Luna looked very cute when she blushed in that manner. "Well, just be certain you have fun, Luna. Looking like that," the slightly older woman stated as she gave Luna the once over, approving of the apparent effort the young witch had put into her appearance, "I'm certain he won't be able to take his eyes off of you," she offered as the next carriage stopped before them.

"That is the plan," Luna confessed with a small giggle, the smile never leaving her face as she climbed into the carriage.

Hermione closed the carriage door, deciding that Luna could ride alone to Hogsmeade. It wouldn't do for someone to make fun of Luna or let slip some comment about being loony and have it spoil her friend's big day, Hermione reasoned. "Well, make certain you behave yourself," Hermione teased.

Luna stared at Hermione in a solemn manner for a long moment. "Now where is the fun in that?" she asked before allowing a playfully grin to appear just as the carriage started to move. Behind her, Luna could hear Hermione chuckle at her parting remark. _It's good to hear her laugh. She doesn't do that often enough these days_ , Luna thought. As the carriage rolled along, the young girl removed an envelope from her handbag. She had read the letter several times already. However, that didn't prevent her from reading it once again.

_Dear Luna,_

_I have been very remiss in my friendship and can only beg your forgiveness. I should have written much sooner than this. Though it is certainly no excuse, a large number of things were going on in my life at the time. Most of which made it somewhat difficult to stay in touch. I hope you will not hold that against me as I very much wish to make certain that you remain a part of my life. An amazing woman such as yourself is very hard to find these days. Again, I can but beg your forgiveness and gladly will do so, over and over again, if that is what it takes to receive it._

_To answer your questions, at least the first two, no and yes. No, I do not mind you writing me and would sincerely hope that you continue to do so, whenever the mood strikes you. Yes, I am well. Even better now that I have heard from you. Though I have a poor way of showing it, I missed you over the summer as well. Nargle protection…brilliant! I'll get right on it!_

_Now, as for Hogsmeade weekend. I can only imagine what my presence at Hogsmeade would bring. The chaos would certainly not be as enormous as the discovery of the Crumpled-horned Snorkack, but I'm sure it would at least make the front page of the Prophet, something I try and avoid these days. Regretfully, I do have a previous engagement for that Saturday._

_Having said that, I may have a solution. I would like to very much make amends for my horrendous treatment of you on our last date. Though I have no right to ask it, I would like the pleasure of your company this Hogsmeade weekend, on Sunday. If you are so inclined to give this undeserving bloke another try, please meet me behind the Hogsmeade station rather than where the carriages arrive._

_Hopeful,  
Harry_

The smile on Luna's face had been in place since waking earlier that morning. It was almost as if someone had used a Sticking Charm to affix it to her face. When she had written Harry, she really hadn't expected him to reply and ask her out. The smart Ravenclaw could well understand why the young man wouldn't want to be near Hogwarts. The fact that Harry had used his house elf to deliver the message rather than send it by owl added a personal touch to everything that had Luna feeling a bit special.

When the carriage came to a stop upon reaching its destination, Luna disembarked. Reaching into her handbag, she pulled forth a rather large item wrapped in brown paper. The young witch walked to the Thestral which had been pulling her carriage and unwrapped the large piece of raw meat, offering it to the creature. "Thank you very much for bringing me to see Harry," she told the animal who gladly accepted the treat.

Luna vanished the now empty piece of butcher's paper before turning away to make her way to the back of the train station. It was a bit odd to be meeting there, but she figured that Harry wanted to avoid the crowds as well as the attention his presence would cause. Rounding the corner of the building Luna spied her friend standing in the distance looking towards Black Lake. Walking up behind the wizard the young witch made her presence known. "Hello, Hopeful Harry," she teased good-naturedly.

"I think you can change that to 'Delighted Harry' as you are here," Harry responded with as he turned about with a warm and welcoming smile. Upon seeing Luna, and taking in her clothes, how her makeup and hair were fixed, the words he was thinking just sort of slipped out of his mouth before he could stop them, "and you look absolutely stunning!"

"Why thank you, Mister Potter. I wanted to make an impression," Luna replied with a shy smile to compliment the blush on her cheeks.

"I'd say you've done a rather smashing job of it," Harry stammered in reply, blushing a bit himself at having let his thoughts slip out the way they had. He was just glad that he hadn't offended her with his actions as they might have seemed like he was implying that she didn't usually look beautiful.

"Yes, well, girls like to be told they look nice," Luna informed him. "I know I don't often dress up, but this is a special occasion, being my second date and all."

"Your second date?" Harry asked a bit puzzled. Luna was a great person as well as rather cute. She didn't have Daphne's stunning beauty or Hermione's emerging classic elegance, but there was something there, something like what one would expect of the Fay. _Magical,_ Harry suddenly thought, realizing it was perhaps the best term to describe the young woman. Due to this, he couldn't believe that this was only Luna's second date ever.

"Yes, well…my first date was so terrible," Luna started with only to witness Harry cringed as he realized that he was her first date. "Relax, Harry. I'm just having a bit of a go at you," she quickly told him with an apologetic smile. "I understand that you had more important things to deal with back then," she assured the poor wizard.

Harry gave a small smile of appreciation before replying, "That's not to say that you aren't important to me as well, Luna." Harry didn't have many people who were his friends, no really. The list of good friends who were also beautiful was even a smaller list, one which Luna was certainly on.

"That is wonderful to know, Harry," Luna answered, her smile returning once again. "It would have felt rather odd if I wasn't important to you as you are so very important to me," she told him rather frankly.

Harry got that familiar strange feeling in his chest, the one that was caused only by a small group of girls in his life. "Well we can't have that now can we?" he asked as he ran a nervous hand through his hair.

"It would be rather sad, wouldn't it?" Luna asked, giving Harry a long serious look. "So," she finally said, breaking the silence that had stretched as the two teenagers gazed at each other, "I am assuming you have something planned for today?"

"I do," Harry assured her. "If you'll do me the honor of allowing me to escort you, Miss Lovegood?" he asked as he turned and offered her an elbow.

"Most certainly, Mister Potter," Luna readily agreed, slipping her hand into the crook of his extended arm. To Luna's surprise, Harry did not lead her into town but rather into the woods behind it. There was a small path, just barely wide enough for the two of them to walk side by side which he directed them to. The trail led them up a rather tall hill and eventually brought them to the opening of a small cave. "I don't think I am properly dressed to go cave exploring, Harry," Luna said, glancing down at her skirt and blouse.

Harry gave Luna a roguish grin. "Wait here a tic, my Lady," he stated before disappearing into the cave, causing Luna to wonder just what he was up to. She didn't have long to wait as Harry soon returned with a folded plaid blanket over one arm and a basket in hand.

"A picnic!" Luna exclaimed, clasping her hands together before her chest in excitement. The young witch loved to be outdoors and under the open sky. The day was rather warm for the middle of October in the Scottish Highlands which made it a perfect day for a picnic to her way of thinking. Luna turned a bit and looked out from the hilltop over the woods below. It was a spectacular view. "It's beautiful!" she stated, appreciating the beauty of nature.

Harry paused from arranging the blanket and looked up at her words. The young man regarded the young woman, her radiant smile and her fairy cuteness and had to agree. "It certainly is," he breathed, once again allowing his thoughts to escape through his lips just as Luna turned to look in his direction. At first, he made to indicate the view, but the words died on his lips upon noticing the rather red blush to Luna's cheeks. _Well, it is the truth_ , he told himself, deciding to leave it as it was. After all, it was in his nature to appreciate her beauty.

Luna gave a small curtsy with a coy smile. "Why thank you, Mister Potter. That is perhaps the sweetest thing anyone has ever said to me. Twice now you've complimented me on my looks. I may just have to start believing you."

"You should," Harry told her as he ran a hand over the blanket's surface to remove those pesky nonexistent wrinkles. The young wizard was still a bit embarrassed due to having allowed his thoughts to slip out once again. There was something about Luna which put Harry at ease. He didn't have to be someone else when with her. This tended to see him drop his guard a bit further than he would have normally liked to, but he really couldn't help it. Luna made him feel normal, which to Harry was well worth the occasional slip of the tongue.

Luna walked over and seated herself upon the blanket, still blushing a bit. Harry, yet again, had shown her that he was not like other men. All through her time at Hogwarts other students had made fun of her because she was a bit different. The young witch knew that she was odd but as she enjoyed the way she was she saw no reason to change. Then Harry had come into her life. Not only had he not made fun of her but he had also befriended her. Through Harry, she had come to know Hermione who was now a true and dear friend as well.

The seventh year Ravenclaw watched as Harry set out their lunch, ensuring that everything was perfect just for her benefit, or so she assumed. _A girl can dream, right?_ Her gray eyes watched entranced as her heart did backflips within her chest. _He makes me feel special_ , the young woman realized. _Perhaps that is why I want to see Harry happy_ , she mused to herself. _Especially if I'm the one that gets to make him happy!_

Harry finished setting out the last of the items. He had wanted everything to be special for their date and so had made the lunch himself. _I owe it to her after our last date._ Harry still felt bad that it had been Luna's first date and he had left her at the party to go chase after Malfoy of all people. _She never complained about it either_ , Harry recalled. _She deserves better than that_ , he told himself, determined to make certain she received it too.

Luna always seemed to understand Harry and the emotional turmoil his life was in during the war. Often he had sought her out just to talk as she would offer some insight into what was troubling him. Like the time that she said Voldemort wanted him to feel alone. He had felt very alone at the time, at least until he had spoken to her. _She gets me in ways that Hermione doesn't_ , he thought is sudden comprehension. _No wonder she has always been special to me._

"So how are your projects going, Harry?" Luna asked, drawing the wizard's thoughts back to the girl beside him on the blanket.

"Well enough," Harry replied a bit evasively. "I really can't say more than that," he added with a small smile.

"That's alright. This way if Hermione asks I can honestly tell her that you wouldn't tell me about them," Luna replied with a grin. "Her not knowing is really driving her a bit barmy, Harry."

"You don't say?" Harry asked, the picture of perfect innocence.

"Yes. I think it is a bit good for Hermione though as it is distracting her from her NEWTs," Luna confided. "If it wasn't for your secrets I am certain she would have driven herself completely around the bend revising and all by now."

"I thought she might," Harry agreed with a concerned look. In part, he had kept the secret of his projects so that he could surprise Hermione but the other fact was that it offered a good distraction. The young witch had been insufferable for their OWLs so he could just imagine how she would be for her NEWTs.

"There aren't any runes are there?" Luna asked, startling the young wizard with her.

Harry chuckled sheepishly as he ran a hand through his hair. "No, not really," he admitted. Seeing the witch's questioning look the young man made a snap decision. In part, it was because he knew he could trust Luna but also it was because he really wanted to share the secret with someone else. "If I tell you what they are for you absolutely can't tell Hermione."

"Of course not, Harry," Luna assured him. "It is far more fun to watch her try and figure it out on her own," she added.

Harry shared her smile for a brief moment before telling her. "I moved into a new house in Essex, and it has a rather extensive library that is in need of books. I've already moved the entire Black family library from Grimmauld Place over as well as any books I could find in my vaults," he explained. "Sadly that didn't even fill the bottom floor."

"So you thought you could, in a rather roundabout manner, ask Hermione for book suggestions," the bright witch sussed out rather quickly. The fact that Harry was doing all this for another girl did not make Luna jealous in the least, rather it just further confirmed what she already knew. Harry was a very compassionate and caring man who went out of his way for those he cared about.

The Lovegoods had a rather open opinion when it came to love. They well understood that a person could, and often did, love more than one person at the same time. This was an understanding they had passed down to their daughter as she grew up. It was alright with Luna if Harry loved another woman just as long as he came to love her as well. "I could help you," Luna offered.

"Really?" Harry asked in disbelief. He hadn't even considered enlisting the help of others to fill the near empty library, but it made sense now that he thought about it. _I wonder if Daphne and Tracey could offer some suggestions as well_ , Harry wondered. _I bet Andi would know loads of good books concerning healing_ , he speculated, rather glad that he had confided in Luna.

"I'd be happy to," Luna assured him. "Hermione is my friend after all. I have to admit that it will be rather fun to be in on the secret." In truth, it made her once again feel rather special that Harry would trust this part of his plans with her. "I'll gather a list and send it to you though I imagine it will be rather lengthy."

"That's fine. It beats walking into _Flourish and Blotts_ and asking them for one of everything they have," Harry told Luna with a grin. "I wonder if I would have room for everything if I did that?" he pondered aloud though he was fairly sure that he would have.

"From the sound of it, I may just have to come and see this library for myself," Luna teased him. Though she loved being outside, the brainy witch in her also was no stranger to the allure of a good book and a comfy chair next to a fire. "It sounds quite remarkable."

"Hermione will be staying with me over the holidays. I plan to show her it then," Harry stated. "You're more than welcome to come over, Luna. I have plenty of room even with everyone there," Harry told her. It was true, even with Andi, Daphne, Tracey, and Hermione being there, he had rooms to spare. "Why don't you come stay with us for a few days?"

Luna's eyes lit up till she recalled her father. "I can't," she sadly replied. "Daddy isn't doing well, and I wouldn't want to leave him all alone," she explained as her face took on a rather sad expression.

"Nothing serious I hope?" Harry enquired. Though he didn't wish to pry, Hermione's letter had worried him. Not just because of Luna but also due to Mr. Lovegood. If there was something he could do to help, then he wanted to do it.

With visible effort, the young witch forced a smile on her face. "The best Healers at St. Mungo's are looking after him, so I'm certain they'll have his sorted soon," she lied, not wishing to put a damper on their date. "Hopefully he'll be home for the holidays." Luna knew that wasn't possible unless she and Hermione managed to find something to cure the ailing wizard. So far their search had turned up any number of Muggle drugs that were said to alleviate the effect of deep depression but none that would cure it. The Wizarding world's answer for depression appeared to be a Cheering Charm, which was also only temporary relief at best.

"Well, if there is anything I can do to help just let me know," Harry offered sincerely, making the young woman once again feel very special. "Let's eat! I'm rather famished," Harry declared, thinking that a change of topic was in order. It pained him to see Luna so distraught and not be able to do anything about it.

The two sat and talked about trivial things as teenagers were apt to do when in the company of those they trust and care about. It wasn't long before their meal was consumed. Before them stretched an errant arm of the Forbidden forest where it came closest to the town of Hogsmeade which was just visible through the trees in the distance. Beyond the town, itself lay Black Lake, while off to one side, raised high above the water on the bluff sat Hogwarts castle.

"Do you miss it?" Luna asked, noting where the young man's eyes were trained during a lapse in conversation. More than once she had caught Harry looking towards the ancient castle.

"Somewhat," Harry admitted, not needing to be told what she was referring to. Harry turned and looked at Luna a bit intently. "I certainly miss some of the people there," he added, causing the girl to blush yet again. _She is terribly cute when she does that_ , the young wizard thought to himself. Harry decided he rather liked making Luna blush and made a pledge to be the cause of it more often.

"Some of us miss you too, Harry," Luna confessed, slipping her hand along the blanket till it encountered his. "We wouldn't mind seeing a great deal more of you."

Harry swallowed rather slowly, suddenly feeling a bit nervous as Luna's fingers entwined with his own. _She couldn't possibly have meant that the way is sounded. Right?_ "I…I wouldn't mind seeing you again either, Luna," he stammered, deciding to go with the safer possibility rather than what his overactive teenage mind was implying.

Luna leaned in closer towards Harry. "The next Hogsmeade weekend is in the middle of November," she informed him in a slightly husky tone. "I'm free if you are, Harry," Luna said as she slowly closed the distance between their lips.

Harry sat transfixed as the large gray eyes in front of him drew closer. "S…sure," he replied, not even certain what he agreed to at this point. All he could think about was that Luna Lovegood was about to kiss him. _Wait, shouldn't I be the one to kiss her?_ A small voice in the back of his head asked only to be jumped and beat into submission by Harry's raging hormones.

Not actually listening to the voices in his head anyways, Harry leaned forward as well, his eyes drooping closed in anticipation of what he was certain would be an incredible kiss. When the anticipated kiss arrived, the feeling of Luna's lips was far softer than expected as their warmth permeated his cheek.

"What was that for?" Harry asked, sitting back. He was a little disappointed that it had only been a kiss on the cheek, but he was also a little relieved. His feelings only served to confuse him even more, though. Luna was his friend after all, and yet he had been more than ready to kiss her in an ' _other than friend_ ' manner. _First Hermione and now Luna_ , he chastised himself. _At least Hermione fancies Ron. I wonder if Luna fancies anyone_ , he absently wondered. _Even Daphne has someone she loves_ , he realized, beginning to wonder if he was fated to only meet women who were already interested in other blokes.

"Because you're sweet, Harry, and have gone through all this trouble just for me," she told him with a gesture down at the remains of their meal and the blanket they were seated upon. "Also, Mummy said to never kiss on the first date," she added, once again sporting pink cheeks as she looked bashfully away.

_But this is our second date!_ Harry's raging hormones screamed suggestively. Luckily sensibility spoke up and reminded the young man, as well as his hormones, that he had in fact promised to come see Luna for the following Hogsmeade weekend. "What about second dates?" he asked a bit cheekily.

Luna's face reddened even further. "I guess we'll have to see how things go," she replied unable to fully hide the hopeful note in her voice. The fact that Harry's smile grew larger upon hearing her answer let her know that he was perhaps just as hopeful as she was.

The two teens packed everything up before Harry took the basket and blanket back to the cave for Winky to retrieve later. Upon returning, he offered Luna his arm and escorted the young witch back to Hogsmeade where they parted after a hug that was perhaps just a bit longer than was strictly required between friends. The ride back to the castle passed in a blur as Luna wasn't even aware of the others in the carriage who kept giving her strange looks due to the silly grin she was wearing.

"So? How was it?" Hermione asked as soon as she saw Luna step from the carriage.

"It was…beautiful," Luna replied ethereally with a dreamy look upon her features that reminded Hermione of the old Luna back before the war had turned so ugly.

Hermione was happy for her friend. It was readily apparent that Luna had a spectacular time as the witch was clearly walking on clouds judging be her expression and behavior. "Well, we can go to my rooms where you simply must tell me everything!" There was a small twinge of jealousy, not that Luna was happy or had a good time but rather that she would have to wait till the holidays to hopefully have such a date with Harry.

Luna seemed to gather her senses about her and turned to look at Hermione, "A woman never kisses and tells," she said straight-faced, before breaking out into giggles that were so unlike Luna that it left Hermione a bit concerned.

_She must have had a splendid time_ , the Gryffindor witch thought just before what Luna had let slip sunk in. "You kissed him?" Hermione asked, still having no clue as to just who the mysterious _him_ in Luna's life was as yet.

"No!" Luna exclaimed, blushing brightly at the very thought, "But I so very much wanted to!" she nearly squealed in recollection. "I gave him a peek on the cheek instead as Mummy said to never kiss on the first date." For a moment there, when Harry had leaned in, and his eyes had closed she had almost kissed him, only at the last second had she turned her head and kissed his cheek instead. Looking back now she regretted her split second decision and wished she had gone for it. _Perhaps that's why I'm not a Gryffindor_ , she mused absently to herself.

"He must be someone really special," Hermione offered with a smile, happy that her friend had found someone who apparently made Luna as happy as thoughts of Harry made her.

"He is," Luna was quick to agree. "I think I might be rather enamored with him even," she added as if only just realizing the fact herself. Given everything that was going on in her own life, Harry was the only thing that brought her any happiness. Coupled with the fact that he always made her smile and blush as well as had the ability to make her feel special, Luna realized that she was falling hopelessly in love with Harry Potter.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> First, a word of thanks. I was a bit overwhelmed by how well the last chapter was received. So thank you to everyone that followed, favorite and especially reviewed! You never know just how humor will come across to others, so it is nice to see it well received.
> 
> I really am not certain about this chapter as it was not what the Muse and I had envisioned when we started writing it Sunday. I did mention that the characters were running amuck, right? Well, they pretty much have pulled off an uprising and are now firmly in control. This might be a good thing as I always have trouble writing Luna. Just because she is a bit different doesn't mean she is easy to write. If anything she is even more challenging. Granted my Luna is not canon Luna due to the war and all but I still feel as if I do not do her justice. Tracey and Daphne are both a little peeved that they each only got one line in the entire chapter.
> 
> As always, your reviews are not required, but they are greatly appreciated.
> 
> Kind Regards,
> 
> EJ Daniels
> 
> All characters within this story, unless otherwise stated are the sole property of J. K. Rowling the original writer of the Harry Potter series.


	9. Of Elves and Women

**Chapter 9 – Of Elves and Women  
. . .**

Harry rolled over and stared at the canopy above him. It wasn't even close to being morning yet, but the young wizard found that sleep eluded him. It hadn't been a good night as the dreams which had plagued him for some time had been especially horrible. Harry dreamt of the war, of the final battle and he had once again been made to witness the deaths of many of those he had cared for who had not made it through the struggle against Voldemort. Sirius, Remus, Fred, Nymphadora, Albus and many others of the fallen had gathered afterward. They never spoke, only stood there and regarded him as if judging the man he had become. Aside from feeling as though he had let them all down, he also felt inadequate beneath their gazes.

Harry flung an arm across his eyes as if in an attempt to block the images from his mind. "I promise you. I promise you all that I will lead a good life," he whispered aloud. They had sacrificed everything so that he could live and Harry felt he had a debt he must repay to them. _I owe them a life worth living_ , he told himself, not being satisfied with anything less. His thoughts turned to his current life as he pondered if it was actually a life worth living or not.

Harry's goal was to live a long, prosperous and happy life. To have helped others who were in need and to have made a positive impact on the people around him. _I want to look back in my final days and see that my life has meant something. That is was worth the sacrifices they made. That I have been a good person._ The young wizard knew that the project at Black Manor was a step in that direction. He had a meeting later that morning to review the help Bob had found for him.

Laying there thinking about his plans and where his life was going, Harry couldn't help but reflect on the women in his life. He wasn't as clueless about the women around him as he appeared but was rather inept and woefully short of experience. This, of course, made him awkward and overly self-conscious of his actions. Like most young men he feared rejection, but in Harry's case, it wasn't nearly as much as he feared to hurt the feelings of others.

He hadn't bought Westfield Manor with the intentions of having a group of witches living there with him, it had just worked out that way somehow. He had wanted someplace close to Black Manor and with room for friends when they came to visit. It may not have been planned, but he was exceptionally glad that there was as much room here as there was as he seemed to be well on the way to filling the manor house. Completely unintentional, of course.

It had been nearly two weeks since his date with Luna and nearly a week since he'd been able to get the grin off his face. It was, without a doubt, the best date he'd ever had. Harry's happiness had been so visible that Daphne and Andi both had questioned him about his good mood. Tracey had just given him her usual scowl. _Some things never change_ , he thought, wishing that he could at least make friends with the girl. Tracey's demeanor didn't prevent Harry from eagerly looking forward to his next date with the bright Ravenclaw.

His thoughts shifted to Daphne, the first resident of Westfield Manor besides himself and the elves. He would have liked to say that she wasn't anything as he had expected. However, he really hadn't known what to expect of the former Slytherin. More often than not Harry found himself laughing and joking in her presence, something his shy Gryffindor self normally wouldn't have been able to do. _At least there was one good change the war brought about._ He found Daphne's playful nature and the flirtatious banter they exchanged to be exciting and rather enjoyable if he was completely honest with himself.

Harry knew he had always been rather shy and awkward around girls. Not having the best of childhoods and with limited contact with his peers while growing up, thanks to Dudley, he really didn't know how to interact with girls. His friendship with Hermione had gone a long ways towards introducing him to the opposite sex, but it was perhaps Daphne, with her playfulness and Luna with her quirky yet blunt observations, which helped bolster Harry confidence, surprisingly enough.

_It's not like I haven't dated_ , he told himself. There was the Yule Ball and his terrible treatment of Parvati Patil. The date with Cho Chang, whom he left to run off with Hermione. Then there was Slughorn's Christmas party where he abandoned Luna to chase after Malfoy. He didn't even want to think about his relationship with Ginny and how that had gone.

_Why is it that all my relationships are disastrous?_ He pondered, worrying if perhaps there was something wrong with himself. _If the power he knew not is love_ , Harry wondered, recalling the prophecy and what had beaten Voldemort, _why is it that I can't seem to find any love for myself?_ The young man sighed heavily, beginning to wonder if he'd ever find someone who would love him enough to want to get married and have a family.

"At least things with Andi are going well enough," Harry voiced aloud as a small smile appeared upon his weary features. The older witch had only been living at Westfield Manor for a bit over a month, and yet the two of them had grown close rather quickly. As time passed, Harry was able to see the differences between Andromeda and her maniac sister Bellatrix.

The deceased Death Eater sister had been as beautiful as Andi was, however, there had been a deranged gleam to her eyes and a wild expression on her face that had eclipsed whatever beauty might have been there. Andi had no such thing, and Harry thought she was a very striking witch. If not for the fact that they were related and he felt he had absolutely no chance at all, he may have fallen for her. It had been nearly two years since Andi's husband Ted had passed away after all.

_Andi is still in her forties_ , _which is young in our world_ , he had caught himself thinking more than once. The truth of the matter was that the mature witch was very kind and exceptionally sweet, two things from an older witch that had been severely missing in Harry's life up to that point. Molly Weasley indeed had tried but could be rather smothering as well as a bit controlling at times. Harry very much enjoyed the closeness that was blossoming between Andi and himself.

Then there was Tracey whom he had as yet been able to figure out. The auburn-haired witch seemed to be attached to Daphne's hip at times. Harry was glad that the two were such close friends. _If I could just figure out what's Davis' issue with me_ , Harry thought to himself. From what little he had gleaned from conversations with Daphne something had happened with Tracey and someone from their own house. Harry got the impression it was something rather distasteful which made it all the harder to ask about. _I don't like it when people pry into my past, so I doubt if Tracey would either_ , he reasoned, which had stopped him from asking further question of Daphne concerning the matter.

Finally, there was Hermione of course. Harry's lips curved up into a smile just due to thinking about his friend. In Harry's eyes, there was no one better than Hermione. If he had his druthers, he would gladly marry the smart witch who had saved his life more times than he could count. _There's just one problem, Hermione fancies Ron,_ Harry woefully recalled as the all too familiar ache throbbed in his chest for a moment before subsiding once again.

Harry had known rather early on that he had feelings for his only female friend at the time. The problem was, being unfamiliar with such emotions he hadn't known what they were or what to do about them. It wasn't till during the end of the second task of the Tri-Wizard Tournament that Harry made a startling discovery. He had been sitting wrapped in a blanket, trying to get warmed up while Hermione was drying his hair with a towel. The young witch had stopped and leaned down, planting a kiss on the top of his head. It was as if the sun had come out as he suddenly felt warm all over.

Harry grinned lying in bed as he remembered wondering at the time what it would feel like if Hermione had kissed him on the lips. It was at that moment that he started to have an inkling of a notion that what he was feeling just might be the stirrings of love for his best female friend. Then Cedric had been killed, and Harry had learned of the prophecy. There was every chance that he would die in the war against Voldemort. Their fifth year he had spent so angry at everything and everyone that he had pushed both Ron and Hermione away. Then Sirius had died during the fiasco at the Department of Mysteries. In their sixth year, it became rather evident from Hermione's reaction to Ron and Lavender's relationship that she fancied the lanky redhead.

It had hurt far more than he thought it would when he realized that fact though he did his best to hide it and be there for Hermione. There were times when Ron and Lavender were snogging in the common room, and Harry saw Hermione flee to the safety of her room or the library that he had just wanted to punch Ron for hurting Hermione that way. Looking back now, being a bit older and perhaps a bit wiser, Harry knew it really wasn't Ron's fault at the time. _It was just how things had worked out is all_. Thankfully the big lout had apparently come around by the end of the war judging from the kiss he and Hermione had shared that Ron had told him about.

_I hope they finally get it right_ , Harry thought as he propped himself up on his pillows, realizing that he wouldn't be going back to sleep. Despite everything, he wanted his friends to be happy. _The girl I love loves another._ _Daphne_ , who Harry could possibly see himself with, _also loves someone else._ _Tracey wants as little to do with me as possible_ , he believed, admitting that if Daphne weren't there, Tracey wouldn't be either. _Andi certainly must want someone more mature and closer to her own age,_ Harry supposed. _If she wants anyone at all_ , a fact he wasn't certain of. This, of course, brought him back to the last remaining girl in his life currently, Luna.

Upon first meeting the petite blonde witch Harry had thought her rather odd. Most people did as that was the first impression she presented to the world. Rather than put him off, though, Harry had rather liked that fact as he was rather odd. _How many other people have survived the killing curse? If that doesn't make one different, then nothing will!_ Now, after the war, they were both a bit different than they were when they first met. However, they were also a great deal closer to one another. Over time their friendship grew as they realized that they had many things in common.

Harry had been bullied while growing up, the fact that he had discovered about Luna and her Housemates. Harry had asked Dobby to see about gathering Luna's missing items and returning them though he had made certain to do so when the younger witch was not there to hear his request. Luna had lost her mum at an early age and hence understood somewhat how Harry felt, having lost both his parents to Voldemort. They could both see the Thestrals which pulled the carriages to and from Hogwarts and Hogsmeade. Much like Harry himself, Luna didn't really care what others thought of her. Both had a tiny number of actual friends.

There was a connection with Luna which Harry felt. It was on a different level than what he felt for Hermione or Daphne or even Andi. If he had to put a name to it, he might have said that it was on a spiritual level. The younger girl often seemed to have an uncanny insight into his emotional turmoil and was able to help him through hard times with candid advice and rather shrewd questions. Where Hermione was rather bossy at times to drive home her point and save time, Luna would rather lead him to the correct answer so that he saw it for himself.

Thinking back to their date, Harry recalled the feel of Luna's lips on his cheek, just to the side of his own mouth. _A bit more and it would have been a proper kiss_ , he mused as the smile that had slipped from his face returned in full force. Harry was rather surprised to realize that he really wanted to kiss Luna, and not as a friend. As far as he knew, Luna wasn't seeing anyone and didn't fancy some other bloke. Granted he had never asked, but then again he couldn't see Luna going on a date with him if there was someone else in her life. This realization made him happy as well as a bit concerned.

_But I love Hermione, don't I? But she fancies Ron_ , he argued with himself, justifying his sudden desire to kiss Luna and perhaps pursue a relationship. _That doesn't mean that I have to stop loving her does it?_ He had no answer to that question. _What should I do about Daphne?_ He asked, admitting that he had stirrings of feelings for the beautiful witch that had nothing to do with her looks. _Okay, maybe it has a little to do with her looks,_ he admitted to himself.

He wouldn't call it love as yet but there was certainly something there between them, and he was fairly sure that she felt it too. _She loves another as well_ , his inner voice answered. _Whom she said that she could never be with_ , Harry was quick to point out. _What of my feelings for her? Do I just forget them as well?_ Once again he had not answer to his question.

_How is it that I can care for all these women at the same time?_ Harry asked himself, once more feeling as if he was far different than others. Certainly, no one else had this level of confusion in their lives! _Aren't we supposed to love just one person for the rest of our lives?_ He was certain, from all that he had heard that his father had loved only his mum. The stories that Sirius and Remus had told him about his parents had indeed indicated that at least. Granted his father had been a bit of a playboy while at Hogwarts. _Is that what I am? A playboy?_

The thought that he might be playing with their emotions and leading them on didn't sit well with Harry. The last thing he wanted to do was hurt any of them. The more he thought about it, the more it looked like he would have to choose just one of them. _Right now that would have to be Luna_ , he thought only to realize that he didn't really want to pick one, or two or any of them as it would mean relegating the others to just friends and hurting their feelings. There was a part of Harry that liked having the women in his life, and he wasn't really ready to give that up just yet. "Does that make me a bad person?" Harry asked aloud thinking of his desire to lead a good and decent life.

"Master Harry is not a bad person," Winky answered just before she pulled open the drapes and allowed the morning's sunlight to stream in. It was only a little after sunrise, so it wasn't overly bright, but it did serve to brighten the room enough to be able to see clearly. "Master Harry is a magnificent wizard."

Harry had been so fixated upon his thoughts that he hadn't noticed the arrival of the house elf. "It's not about being a good wizard, but about being a good person. Doing the right thing," he replied only to see the small elf staring at him, waiting for him to continue. "I have to choose one of the women in my life and I'd really rather not," he confessed. "I think that somehow makes me a rather bad person. It's just so bloody hard to choose!" Harry admitted in a frustrated tone of voice.

"Then don't choose," said Winky in a tone that clearly indicated the answer should have been obvious, even to her slow-witted Master.

Harry's lips bent up into a grin. "That's not how it is done I'm afraid, Winky," he told her. "We only get to choose one woman to spend the rest of our lives with."

"Why?" Winky asked.

"Because that's the way it is done," Harry answered, not certain just how to explain it to the diminutive creature. It's not like he was an expert on love, relationships, and marriage after all. _Where's Hermione when I need her?_ Harry thought, confident she would have known just the right thing to say to explain it to the curious elf.

"Why?" Winky pressed, still not satisfied with her Master's answer. It amazed her just how complicated humans always made everything.

Harry opened his mouth to respond only to realize that he really didn't have an answer for her other than repeating what he had the last time. A sudden thought occurred to Harry, and before he could stop himself he asked, "How do house elves mate?" Winky actually blushed which in turn caused Harry to blush for having asked such a personal question, of a girl nonetheless.

"Winky mates the same as witches and wizard," the blushing elf replied after a few seconds of awkward silence.

"No, I mean do you marry? You know, find a good male elf and settle down to raise a family together," Harry quickly clarified looking anywhere but at the blushing elf. "How do you choose who to join with?" he asked, feeling a great deal uncomfortable as the conversation was not going how he planned, not that he had actually planned for it to happen in the first place!

"Winky mates to whomever Master Harry says," Winky informed him.

"What?" Harry asked in disbelief. "Don't you get to choose?"

"Elves only mate when Masters say so. Winky will mate when Master Harry gives Winky his permission and has selected a suitable partner for Winky," she told him.

"Me? I can't even decide who _I_ should mate with!" he said to her unabashedly. "You should determine who you will mate with as well as when you will mate," Harry stated, aghast at the revelation that the owners of house elves made such decisions in regards to their happiness.

"If that is Master Harry's wish?" Winky asked.

"Yes, it is! That goes for all my house elves!" Harry declared. "Marry whomever you wish so long as they are willing."

Winky giggled, not at Harry's decision to allow his elves to choose for themselves, that didn't surprise her as she already knew Harry was a kind and wonderful master. No, it was his final comment that had her giggling. Seeing Harry puzzled expression, she explained. "Master Harry, house elves do not marry."

"You don't?" Harry asked, more than a little surprised by the fact.

"Elves do not limit themselves to one partner," Winky explained. "It would be sad to not know the joy and pleasure of being with others," she told him rather bluntly. "There are many good partners out there to be had. Why should we force ourselves to just one?"

Harry thought about that for a moment as the small elf waited. "How…how do you decide whom to mate with then?" Harry stammered, his cheeks blushing a bit due to asking yet another personal question, but that seemed to be his modus operandi at the moment.

Winky climbed up on the foot of the bed and seated herself before she explained. "When a she-elf is ready, she will know. She will select a he-elf, and they will share themselves with each other, magic, body and heart. If they are fortunate, then a baby will be created. It is a joyous occasion when such an event occurs," she explained, "it seldom does as Masters do not often allow elves to mate."

"When it does happen though it is a beautiful thing and there is much rejoicing among our kind. The father of the baby will stay in the baby's life and help raise it however he will never sire another child upon the same she-elf again. The next time the she-elf is ready to mate she will select a different he-elf to partner with. That is how it has been done since time immemorial before we were bonded to wizards and witches."

"Why won't the first two ever mate again?" Harry asked, intrigued by what he was learning. He was fairly certain that Hermione would love to know all this and he made a mental note of being certain to write to her concerning it. Realizing that the information would probably set her off once again on a crusade to save the elves he'd have to figure out just how to word it. _Maybe after she's finished her NEWTs?_

"It is not by choice," Winky told him, sensing that was what her Master wanted to know. It was rare for any Master to ask about such things and Winky wanted to make certain she explained it correctly. "To make a baby there is a sharing of magic between the two which connects them forever," she explained. "Once connected they cannot ever become unconnected and so cannot make more babies. This is why she will select a different partner to make another baby with. It is very seldom though that an elf has a second baby," Winky added a bit sadly.

Most families that owned elves had one or two elves at best. They would be required to contract with a different family to allow their own elves to mate a second time or even a first time if both their elves were male or females in the first place. This had led to arguments over who then had ownership of the baby that was born. It had in the past seen infants taken from their mothers right after birth. Wealthy Wizarding families that owned several elves didn't often want additional mouths to feed and hence didn't allow their elves to mate at all.

Harry wasn't exactly certain just what Winky meant by 'connected, ' but he assumed it was a sort of bond that existed thereafter between the two elves. It didn't take long for him to realize that the more mates an elf had, the more connected they would be with other elves. Harry had another disturbing thought, one he truly didn't like. "Winky, is that how Wizards have controlled the elves all this time?"

It would make sense, Harry thought. There was hardly any information on how exactly the house elves came to be bonded to the Wizarding world. Hermione had done research into the matter for S.P.E.W. and hadn't been able to uncover very much. It was as if all information pertaining to the house elves had disappeared over the ages. Selective breeding, as well as isolation, were proven tactics used to control others. Having been isolated as a boy, Harry could well understand how that made a person feel.

Winky looked at Harry with fear in her eyes as she realized that she had said too much. Elves were not permitted to discuss how they had been brought into the wizarding world to serve the witches and wizards. It was a sad story every elf knew but was not allowed to talk about. If the wizards so chose they could order all elves to never mate again, and it would be the end of their entire race.

Harry leaned forward and patted the shaking elf reassuringly on the shoulder. "That's alright. Forget I asked," Harry told Winky only to visibly see the elf relax a bit. He had seen the fear in her eyes and didn't want to push her too far. "Winky I want you to do me a favor. I want you to let it be known that any elf who works for me is free to mate with whomever they wish to and as often as they wish. I want them to decide, not me," he told her. "Any babies born shall remain with our family. Can you make sure all the Potter and Black elves know that?"

"Winky will tell them Master Harry's words," she said as she got up and jumped down from the bed to finish her work. Her master's words filled her with excitement as no wizard had ever told their Elves to procreate at will before. The small elf paused and turned back slightly to regard Harry. "Master Harry should be an elf so that he can make lots of babies with his missus for Winky to look after," she said. "Master is not limited by his magic and can make many babies with each one."

"T…thanks," Harry stammered as he blushed at the implications of what Winky was suggesting. The thought of a large family with lots of babies had a certain appeal to him. However, it was the idea of actually making those babies that had him blushing. He was still a virgin after all and woefully lacking in the knowledge of the fairer sex. "I think I'll remain being just a man for the time being."

Winky gave a small nod, confident that her Master would make a great elf, and not really certain why he wouldn't want to be one. Dismissing it for now she turned and started to select clothes for her Master as the wizard in question disappeared into the bathroom to get ready for the day.

**-oOo-**

"Edward Remus Lupin you turn back right this instant, young man!" greeted Harry as he stepped from the floo as Andi's stern voice echoed through the living room. The young wizard was just returning from his meeting at Gringotts with his account manager, Bob. Andi was standing over Teddy as she addressed the boy, one finger wagging in the air before the child to accent each of her words.

"Arry!" Teddy called out upon seeing his favorite wizard. The rambunctious toddler ran to Harry with his arms outstretched, fleeing his rather irate grandmother for the absolute safety of Harry's arms. "Up!" he demanded as upon reaching his godfather.

Harry barely managed to keep from laughing as he scooped the boy up, Teddy's small arms encircling his neck almost instantly. Teddy's normal eyes were a great deal rounder and twice their usual size. The boy's ears had grown considerably disproportionately to his head and flapped wildly as he ran across the room. All in all his godson now resembled a house elf except that his nose was still tiny and very much his own. "Hey, little man! Are you giving your grandmother a difficult time?" Harry asked.

"Uh-uh," Teddy denied as he shook his head vigorously causing his large ears to flap back and forth, smacking himself in the face each time. Rather than being bothered by this the toddler must have liked it because he kept doing it, finding it rather fascinating to see his own ears just before they would smack him once again. Harry couldn't help but grin at Teddy's antics.

"Fine then! You can deal with him!" Andi huffed upon seeing Harry's smile and realizing she wasn't going to get any help from the wizard. "I have to go to class and then tonight is my first evening at my internship," she informed Harry. "Be a dear and see if you can't get him back to looking like his usual cute self, Harry."

"Certainly," Harry replied even as Teddy's hair turned black and his large bulbous eyes took on an emerald shade. "Good luck with your classes and work tonight, Andi," Harry offered as the witch gathered her school bag before coming over to give Teddy a kiss goodbye.

"Thank you, Harry," Andi offered as she leaned in and the two exchanged peeks. "You be a good boy and don't give your godfather a hard time," she told Teddy, whose eyes and ears were already shrinking to match Harry's. "He's such a handful these days," Andi added in an affectionate note before kissing the toddler's forehead and then disappearing into the floo with a whoosh of green flames.

"What say we go and get something to drink?" Harry suggested to the small boy who was nearly an identical copy of Harry himself now, though quite a bit younger. At Teddy's enthusiastic nod of agreement, the boy had a fixation on chocolate milk currently, Harry set off towards the kitchen. As they approached the door to the kitchen, Harry heard raised voices and paused to give a listen.

"Unhand me!" Kreacher's voice said with what sounded like a mixture of annoyance and what sound to Harry like fear. _Whatever could be going on_ , Harry wondered.

"Master has given his permission," Winky's insistent tone replied.

"Kreacher is too old for such foolishness," the Black family elf was quick to reply with. "Winky should be wanting a younger elf."

"Winky knows what Winky wants," the smaller elf replied, dismissing Kreacher's objections. "Kreacher is not so old that he cannot share his magic. Will Kreacher not share with Winky?" the female asked in a rather low and seductive voice.

Harry could feel his cheeks heating up as he suddenly realized what they were discussing. The young man felt rather embarrassed to be listening in on such a private topic. Even more so it was rather disturbing to hear Winky use such a tone of voice as it clashed with the rather meddlesome mother figure image he had of her in his mind.

"Winky would be better served with someone else," Kreacher answered somewhat stubbornly.

"Winky will be having Kreacher! Winky has decided!" she told him in such a manner that it was clear that she would not be swayed from her course.

There was the soft _pop_ of an elf departure, but Harry couldn't tell if Winky had left or if Kreacher had fled in terror. He hoped it was Winky that had left as it would be a great deal more embarrassing to enter the room with the female elf still there than if it was just Kreacher. "Winky deserves better," Harry heard Kreacher mumble as Teddy began to squirm in his arms. The young wizard pushed open the door only to hear Kreacher pop away as well.

Harry sat Teddy upon the counter, affixing the boy in place with a sticky charm, before turning away and preparing a cup of chocolate milk for the toddler and setting water to boil for himself. Teddy, once he had his sippy cup in hand, was content to sit on the counter, swinging his legs back and forth while drinking his chocolate milk as Harry went about making himself a cup of tea.

Harry couldn't help but grin at the thought of Winky telling Kreacher that she would have him regardless of his protests to the contrary. It was abundantly clear to Harry that Winky was not going to give up. _I wonder how long he'll last before giving in?_ Harry mused with a grin. The young wizard was glad to see that he was not the only one that had issues with the opposite gender. He, himself, was still no closer to deciding what he was going to do with all the witches in his life.

The fact that he had just added three more to that group earlier that morning did not escape his notice either. He had told Bob to find him help that he could trust after all. Harry had to admit that the goblin had done just that. The one saving grace was that at least the new witches weren't living with him, but rather over at Black Manor. Of course, that meant that he would see them several times during the week as well as on weekends, but that couldn't be helped.

Teddy apparently finished with his chocolate milk, held out the empty sippy cup for more. Harry, being the proper godfather that he was, dutifully went and refilled the cup for the boy. Upon turning back, there was a small pop, and Winky was standing there with a disapproving look on her face as she eyed the refilled cup in his hand. "What? It's for me," Harry lied, taking a quick sip of the sweet liquid as her insinuating gaze made him feel a bit guilty as he stood there with a sippy cup in hand.

"It is time for young Master Teddy's nap," Winky stated, not buying Harry's words for a moment. It didn't help that the wizard's cup of tea was sitting right there on the counter either. The house elf removed the boy from the counter before disappearing with him.

**-oOo-**

Harry made his way down to the dining room the next morning in a rather foul mood. It had not been a good night, not in the least and he had managed to hardly get any sleep at all. The sleep deprived wizard growled out a 'good morning' without even pausing to give Andi and Teddy their usual morning kisses before he went to the sideboard to fill his plate sparingly with food.

"Rough night?" Daphne asked with some concern, noting the dark circles around Harry's eyes and his rather sullen behavior since his arrival in the room. Judging from the small amount of the food on the man's plate, he didn't have much of an appetite either.

Harry grunted as he served himself some tea and took a rather long pull from his cup only to refill it as it was nearly empty afterward. "I've had better," he admitted, not really wishing to talk about it.

"Are you going to be able to make your Quidditch game today?" Daphne asked conversationally as she ate her own breakfast.

The tired wizard groaned as he realized that he would need a Pick-Me-Up potion or two if he were going to make the game. He wasn't about to cancel on the guys and let a little thing like missing sleep keep him from being there. "I'll manage," he grumbled.

The appearance of Winky carrying Andi's book bag forestalled further conversation. "It is time Missy Andi," the small elf announced as she passed the bag over to the witch once Andi had stood.

"Thank you, Winky," the eldest witch replied, accepting the bag just before she leaned down and gave Teddy a kiss goodbye. "Today should be busy, so I doubt I will be home early," she said, addressing Harry as she walked over to him and gave him a peek on the cheek. "All Hallow's Eve always seems to bring out the nutters is what they told me yesterday. I'm sure St. Mungo's will be extremely busy. I might not be home till morning even."

"Today is the 31st?" Harry asked, his face darkening at the realization. _No wonder I couldn't sleep last night_ , he concluded. The last day of October had never been a particularly good day for Harry. This being the first one since the demise of Voldemort he could only hope it would be different from previous years. He couldn't help but feel as though it wouldn't be.

"All day, sadly," Andi assured him before hurrying off to use the floo to make her class before going to work.

"It's not a good day for you is it, Harry?" Daphne asked, noting the look on the man's face beside her.

"Aside from the occasional troll, petrified cat, my name coming out of a goblet and the fact of my parents dying, no it's a rather smashing day," Harry told her, doing little to hide the sharp bitter edge to his words. No sooner had he finished than he felt bad as it wasn't Daphne's fault that his life had been so messed up. Harry had no reason to take it out on her. "I'm sorry, Daphne," he apologized. "All Hallow's Eve has always been a rather rough day for me since coming to the Wizarding world. It's as if some cosmic power has declared it 'Mess with Harry Potter Day,'" he added more than a little frustration sounding in his tone.

"That's alright," Daphne told him with a forgiving smile. She felt that the man had earned a bit of anger at all that had happened to him over the years. "Why don't we go out to lunch or perhaps have a nice quite day at home," she suggested in an effort to alleviate his concerns about what the day would hold.

As tempting as her offer was, Harry knew he couldn't let the guys down and not be there for their game. "Make it dinner and a quiet evening at home, and you have yourself a date," Harry replied while forcing a smile on his face. "I promise not to snap at either of you," he added, including Tracey in their date, much to the witch's surprise.

Tracey eyed Harry for a long moment, their eyes locking in what almost appeared to be a staring contest of sorts. "I'll hold you to that, Potter," she finally relented and told him as she looked away.

"I don't doubt you will," said Harry as his smile slipped into a grin, having noted a faint blush to the woman's cheeks. _Maybe I just imagined it?_

It was some time in the late afternoon when Harry returned to Westfield Manor, far dirtier as well as much happier, than when he had left. A quick trip to his room for a shower and a change of clothes found him returning to the dining room in time for dinner. "Good evening, ladies," he addressed Tracey and Daphne with as he strode into the chamber to join the two already seated witches. "I trust you both have had a good day?"

"You seem to be in far better spirits," Tracey commented as Harry seated himself at the head of the table.

"Yes, well it's rather amazing what an afternoon of Quidditch can do to take your mind off of things," Harry replied with, his smile never leaving his features. "So what would you like to do this evening?" His afternoon had been so great that he was all set to tease them a bit about their date. "As I recall we have a date," he reminded them. "I must admit that I'm a bit nervous, never having been out with two beautiful witches at once before."

Daphne offered a playful smirk. "Too much for you to handle?"

"Probably," Harry replied, not ashamed to admit it. "If it were just you, Daphne, I think I could manage, however with Davis` along, I am not all that certain that I'm not in a bit over my head here."

Tracey couldn't hide the blush that slipped across her cheeks at his words. Looking down at her plate she told him, "We're living together now. You may as well call me Tracey, Potter."

Harry sat back in his seat, a large grin spreading across his face as he recalled a similar conversation he'd had with Daphne. Rather than repeat it, Harry decided to have a bit of fun with the rather standoffish witch instead. "Why, is that a proposal Miss Davis?" he teased only to see the woman's face turn bright red as she began to splutter, unable to articulate any coherent words.

"I do believe it was, Mister Potter," Daphne played along, not wishing to miss an opportunity to tease Tracey, especially now that she knew the witch at one time had a crush on Harry. "It certainly sounded like she was requesting to be the next Mrs. Potter to me!" Daphne's words only gained her a look of utter disbelief from Tracey who was finding it hard to breathe at the moment.

Harry found it all rather amusing as Tracey's mouth opened and closed like a fish out of water at Daphne's suggestion. Harry almost lost it when Daphne glanced in his direction and winked at him. Their fun at Tracey's expense came to a halt when Kreacher appeared with a piece of parchment. Harry took the message without a thought and read it over, his smile slipping quickly from his feature. "You'll have to excuse me," he told both witches as he dropped the paper to the table. "Something has come up."

Daphne and Tracey both stared in disbelief as Harry raced to the floo and tossed in some powder before calling out his destination. They both watched rather dismayed as their date for the evening vanished without a further word. "Did he say St. Mungo's?" Tracey asked in confusion still staring at the now empty fireplace where the wizard had disappeared from just a moment before.

Daphne reached over and took the discarded bit of parchment. The witch read it aloud for Tracey's sake.

_Dear Mr. Potter._

Your presence is required at St. Mongo's. Please come quickly as the matter is rather urgent.

Healer Roberts.

"Isn't Andi working at St. Mungo's tonight?" Tracey asked, suddenly anxious about the older witch.

Daphne could do little but nod as she realized that Harry would have to wait another year to have a quiet Halloween.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The next chapter probably isn't going to be a happy one. Hey, they can't all be full of laughs and unexpected humor can they? Thanks for sticking with me as I, the Muse and you see where the characters are taking us. Everything happens for a reason so please just bear with. I do like to explore other aspects of the HP world as we saw this chapter with the house elves. Hope it made sense.
> 
> As always, your reviews are not required, but they are greatly appreciated.
> 
> Kind Regards,
> 
> EJ Daniels
> 
> All characters within this story, unless otherwise stated are the sole property of J. K. Rowling the original writer of the Harry Potter series.


	10. Broken Hearts and Promises

**Chapter 10 – Broken Hearts and Promises  
. . .**

Fear. It clutched at Harry's heart as he sped through the floo network, passing numerous glimpses of other destinations. Never before had a floo trip seemed so long. The thought that Andi might be hurt frightened him as his mind provided him with visions of Death Eaters seeking revenge and using his family to get it. So concerned was he that he wasn't even angry, though he was certain that would come later.

Now the only thing on his mind was Andi and her wellbeing. Perhaps that's why it was understandable, that upon stepping from the floo into St. Mungo's, that Harry wore an expression comprised of disbelief, confusion, and dawning relief when he saw Andi there waiting for him. Before the witch could say anything, Harry had crossed the distance to her and wrapped her in a hug that would have done Hermione and Mrs. Weasley proud. "Oh thank God you're alright!" he murmured as he held her.

Andi was completely taken aback by the hug and for a moment didn't know what to do. It had been a long time since anyone had hugged her like that after all. Ted had been on the run for some time, and Dora had been off hiding with Remus, leaving her pretty much alone. Then they both had gotten themselves killed. Hesitantly at first, and with slightly reddening cheeks, Andi returned his hug. "Why ever wouldn't I be?" she finally asked, not having lived Harry's life where those closest to him were often the ones hurt and hence not understanding his concern.

Harry leaned back but didn't release the witch just yet. "I received a note from a Healer Roberts saying that my presence was required here. As you're the only person here I know I thought that maybe Death Eaters had…," his words trailed off as even the thought of what could have happened choked him up. Once he had gained some measure of control once again, he continued. "The people dearest to me are all too often hurt," he explained. "I don't know what I would do if something happened to you."

Andi was truly touched by the young man's heartfelt words and a bit surprised that Harry considered her one of his dearests. It was nice to have someone care for her. She had been alone and caring for Teddy for so long now that she had nearly forgotten what it was like to be cared for herself. "I'm all right, Harry," she assured him. "If something were to happen I would expect you to take care of Teddy and not run off and do something foolish!"

Harry was far too relieved that she was alright to say anything and simply gave her a sheepish grin, knowing that he probably would do just that. Hermione had more than once commented over the years on how he just rushed in without thinking things through first. _Still not sure just how we survived everything_ , Harry thought. In his head, he suddenly heard an echo of Professor McGonagall's voice from his first-year saying ' _sheer dumb luck_.' The young wizard simply gave a nod in reply to the voice as well as Andi's comment.

Seeing Harry agree, Andi continued. "Healer Roberts asked me to come and get you as he is aware that we are family. He's a brilliant healer but pants at just about anything else from what I can tell. It probably never occurred to him that his message could have been worded differently," she said to Harry as she stepped back from his embrace. She was just a bit shocked to realize that she rather missed the warmth of his arms around her.

Taking Harry's hand in hers, Andi turned and pulled him to her side even as she raised their clasped hands and settled her free hand over them. "Harry, this isn't going to be easy," she explained as she led the confused wizard down the hallway. "What you're about to see will be rather unpleasant, but he is insistent that he speak with you right now."

"Who?" Harry asked, grasping the hand in his firmly as if he was afraid to let it go ever again. Even though he knew she was never in any danger, the lingering traces of fear still held him as tightly as he held onto the hand in his. _If Andi is alright then who could possibly need me here?_

"Xenophilius Lovegood," Andi informed him as she steered them through the halls.

"Mr. Lovegood?" Harry parroted back. "Luna's dad? He's here? What could he possibly want with me?" Harry wondered if this was what Hermione had hinted at in her letter when she said that Luna had issues at home.

"I'll let Healer Roberts explain," Andi replied as they turned a corner and saw a green robbed healer waiting for them.

"Mr. Potter? I'm Healer Roberts," the man said as the pair approached. Roberts was a thin man with a bit of graying at his temples that gave him a rather distinguished appearance. Thoughtful eyes sat behind dark-rimmed glasses which seemed to accentuate the narrowness of the man's face. "Sorry to call you out like this at such a late hour but he was adamant that you be here now," he told Harry as he held out a hand in greeting

"That's alright, Healer Roberts," Harry said, accepting the offered hand and giving it a firm shake. "Mr. Lovegood is a friend. How is he?" Harry inquired in a concerned voice. Xenophilius Lovegood had once tried to hand over Harry, Ron, and Hermione to Death Eaters but it had been in an attempt to save his only daughter, Luna. The three had later discussed the matter and had decided that no one needed to know about the betrayal. Luna was their friend, and under different circumstances, they would have gladly given themselves up to save her.

"I think I had best return to my duties," Andi cut in with, only to see a glint of fear in Harry's eyes. Andi was once again touched at how he cared about her and was clearly alarmed at letting her out of his sight. "Harry, let me know if there is anything you need," she told him as she gave the hand in hers a squeeze of reassurance to let him know she was okay before she released it.

"I will," Harry assured her, his hand feeling colder already. "Thanks, Andi," he added before giving her a parting peck on the cheek. He would rather she stayed but realized that she had her own duties to perform as an intern.

Roberts thanked the witch as well before turning back to address Harry's question. "It isn't good, I'm afraid. We've done everything we can for him, and frankly, it isn't enough," the healer offered candidly. "His magic is killing him. I'm afraid that when it comes down to it, he has lost the will to live and his magic is working on that intent to make it happen. It's only a matter of time now. I'm actually surprised he has lasted as long as he has," the healer had stated before he gestured towards the nearest door, "Shall we?"

It was with a bit of trepidation that Harry gave him a nod and followed the man into the private room. What he saw there he was ill prepared for. Xenophilius Lovegood lay within a bed of pristine white sheets and seemed to nearly blend in as he himself was so incredibly pale. The most shocking aspect of the man in the bed was just how much he had wasted away. Harry thought that he looked more like an Inferius than a living person.

The wizard, whom Harry knew to be vibrant and full of life at one point, was nothing but a shell of the man he used to be. The man's hands, where they rested upon the covers were skeletal in appearance with the dark purple veins running just under the skin being clearly visible. The blonde hair that so matched Luna's hung lank and scraggly upon the pillow. Harry couldn't be faulted for thinking he looked like one of the Inferi rather than one of the living as he truly did. This was not the Xeno Lovegood he knew as this man looked aged and withered well beyond his possible years.

"He's been here for several months," Healer Roberts spoke up, just above a whisper. "His daughter Luna was here every day and sat with him. That seemed to help some. When September arrived, he insisted that she return to Hogwarts and complete her education. Without her here by his side his condition rapidly deteriorated," explained Roberts.

The young man sat in the chair that was next to the bed, and for a long moment all Harry could do was regard the man who was the father of someone he was possibly falling in love with. _Why didn't Luna tell me?_ Harry wondered. _She sat here all summer long by herself and watched him get worse?_ The man's heart went out to the petite Ravenclaw witch, suddenly thinking she had far more courage than he had ever shown, even when he fought Voldemort. "Mr. Lovegood," Harry finally spoke.

Near translucent eyelids fluttered for a moment and then slowly opened. Eyes as blue as glaciers focused on the occupant of the chair. It was a long moment before they finally seemed to recognize someone was seated there. "I was dreaming of my Pandora and Luna when she was little," said Xeno in a cracked and tired voice. "It was a rather pleasant dream," he added, the corners of his mouth twitching upwards in as much of a smile as he could manage at the time. "Who are you?"

"It's Harry, Sir," Harry provided. "Harry Potter."

"Yes, yes, Harry," Xeno said as he made to hold a hand out to the young wizard who was quick to grasps the trembling member and hold it in what he hoped was a comforting manner. "I'm sorry, Harry. So, so very sorry," said Xeno. "They took my Luna because of what I've been writing. They took my Luna, and I don't know where she is, what they've done to her. But they might give her back to me if I - If I... I must save Luna you see. I cannot lose Luna too. You must not leave."

Healer Roberts spoke up softly from the foot of the bed. "His mind wanders at times. It's not uncommon for someone so close to death to slip into their past and confuse their memories for what is actually happening around them."

"It's alright," Harry said to Luna's father as he cupped the man's hand with his other, much as Andi had done to his moments before. "Luna's alright. We saved her. She's in school at Hogwarts. Perhaps we should fetch her for you? I'm certain she would wish to see you, Sir."

"That's right, you saved her, Harry," Xeno agreed as his eyes became more focused. "You saved my little Luna even after what I'd done to you and your friends. It is a debt I must repay," the dying wizard told the man beside him, seeming to grow a bit stronger as he realized he had a purpose he had as yet to complete.

"There's nothing to repay, Sir," Harry assured him. "I care about Luna a lot, and there isn't anything I wouldn't do for her."

Xeno wasn't apparently having any of it, though. "I won't be able to rest properly till I have repaid the debt I owe you, Harry," the weak voice explained. "My Luna will be all alone when I am gone as we have no other family. My Pandora has already left us both, and now I must leave Luna as well," Xeno said as a tear trickled down his pale cheek.

"As long as I'm alive Luna will never be alone, Sir," Harry corrected him, hating to see the man in such obvious pain. "I will always watch out for her, and she'll always have a home, Sir."

The bed-ridden wizard regarded Harry rather strangely for a long moment. "Do you mean that Harry?" he finally asked only to receive a sharp nod from the seated man. "Will you give her shelter and hearth?"

"For as long as she needs it," replied Harry.

"Will you protect her as if she were your own?" Xeno asked.

Harry understood these were serious questions and so he gave a serious answer. "With my life, if need be, Sir."

"Would you share with her the bounty of your family?" the dying wizard pressed.

"I will, for as long as she requires it!" Harry readily answered.

"Swear it!" Xeno demanded, his grip upon Harry's hand growing tighter in desperation, as he realized he might still do one great deed for his beloved daughter before he died.

Harry wasn't sure what exactly was happening here, but even he knew that it was something of importance. Swearing anything in the Wizarding world was not something done lightly as there could be long lasting and far reaching consequences. It was an unbreakable vow that had led Professor Snape to kill Albus Dumbledore after all. Still, it was apparent to Harry that Luna's father was not far from death and he found he couldn't deny the man a dying wish.

"I, Harry James Potter, swear to look after Luna Lovegood. I offer her hearth, family, protection and to provide for her for as long as she has need of it. Thus do I swear upon my magic!" Harry proclaimed.

"Then in payment of my debt I, Xenophilius Lovegood, give you that which is most precious to me, my daughter, Luna. I furthermore name Harry James Potter, heir to all that I own. Thus do I swear upon my magic, witnessed by Healer Roberts."

"So I have witnessed," Roberts answered.

The hand Harry held, as well as his own glowed a light golden color as the pact was accepted by their magic. To say that Harry was stunned that the man would name him an heir was an understatement of near monumental proportions. "Sir, I appreciate the offer but feel that I mu…," Harry started to decline only to realize that Xeno was unable to hear his words, having passed on to the next great adventure.

Healer Roberts pulled forth his wand and verified that the wizard was, in fact, deceased. "I'm sorry, Mr. Potter. He must have been holding on long enough to speak with you. It seems to have taken the last bit of strength he had out of him," he said to Harry as he laid a sympathetic hand upon the younger man's shoulder. "Would you like us to contact his daughter?"

"No," Harry said rather sadly as he slipped his hand from Luna's father's. "I'd better do it. It will be hard enough coming from someone she knows." _How am I ever going to tell her?_ Harry asked himself, feeling as if there weren't enough words in the Queen's English to convey how sorry he was.

"I understand," Roberts replied. "I'll see that his body is prepared. Contact us once the funeral arrangements have been made." Harry had thanked the man before he left St. Mungo's via the floo.

**-oOo-**

Hermione Granger gave the map in her hand one last look before tucking it away. Ahead of her, it had shown a broom cupboard in which a pair of fourth-year Hufflepuffs were no doubt diligently working at their current endeavor. That endeavor being snogging judging by how their small footprints on the map had kept on overlapping one another. Hermione was kind enough to knock on the door rather than just yanking it open. "It's almost curfew time," she said to the closed door.

It was only a few moments before two rather disheveled and very embarrassed Puffs appeared. "Really, Jessy, I would have thought better of you," Hermione scolded the girl. "And you Bradley should know how to treat a girl properly. A broom cupboard? Honestly," the Head Girl asked in disbelief only to notice Jessy turning an even brighter shade of red.

"I told you it was a barmy idea, to begin with, Jess," said Bradley.

"You didn't seem to against the idea when I suggested it," Jessy quipped back a tad disappointed that her boyfriend seemed to be pushing all the blame off on her.

"Snogging my lovely girlfriend in eighty cupboards?" Bradley asked with a snort of disbelief. "I'd have to be mental not to want to do that with you, Jess," the boy offered, earning himself a forgiving smile from the blushing girl next to him.

"Eighty cupboards?" Hermione asked in confusion.

"It's a legend in the Hufflepuff House," Jessy was quick to explain. "If you kiss the one you love in all eighty cupboards at Hogwarts then it is true love, and you'll be together forever," she told Hermione with a broad smile and a shy glance to her side at the boy with them. "We're only on number forty-three, ourselves."

"I'm not even certain there are that many cupboards in Hogwarts," Hermione told them.

"Ernie and Janice said they've found seventy-nine so far," Bradley offered, chiming in at last. "So far no one has been able to locate the last one."

"Sounds to me like the Hufflepuff boys figured out a way to get more snogging in is all," Hermione replied with a knowing smirk.

"That's not true!" Jessy exclaimed, coming to her boyfriend's rescue. "There was a couple several years back who found all eighty of them!"

It all started to make sense now to Hermione. _The boys concoct a story so that the girls will let them get in more snogging. To make the story sound authentic, they added the fact that a couple found all eighty of the cupboards not too long ago._ Even she had to admit that last part was a nice touch. "If that's true then who were the couple that found all eighty?" Hermione enquired, certain they wouldn't have names to provide to her.

The two fourth-years turned and looked at each other as they tried to recall the names of the couple. Hermione was confident that she had them till Jessy looked up at her. "I don't remember the boy's name, but the girl's last name was Tonks."

Bradley snapped his fingers as he remembered, "Nymphadora Tonks! That was her name," he exclaimed.

"Tonks?" Hermione parroted back. Having known the woman, she could very well see Tonks doing something like that. The witch was a very free spirit after all and gave the impression of liking to have a good time. "Yes, well, be that as it may, you can check this one off your list I would assume?" Both younger students blushed as they suddenly recalled what they had been caught doing. "Hurry back to your House as it is almost curfew time," she told them. "Don't let me catch you stopping along the way to add another cupboard to your list or there will be detentions!"

Hermione watched the two of them run off hand in hand and couldn't help but smile at the picture of young love. Her thoughts, of course, led her to think about Harry, though in truth she had been thinking about him all day as it was All Hallow's Eve, traditionally not a good day for her best friend. _Hopefully, that will change to boyfriend come the holidays_ , Hermione mused with a wide grin at the thought. "I hope he's alright," she mumbled to herself as she reached out and closed the broom cupboard door, the smile slipping from her face to be replaced by concern for Harry.

_Eighty cupboards?_ The Headgirl pondered as she continued down the hall _. I wonder if Harry and I could find them all,_ she thought to herself only to feel her cheeks heat into a blush _._ The young woman's mind went to work trying to puzzle out where the eightieth cupboard could be when she recalled the Room of Requirements. With that memory came the recollection of Professor Dumbledore telling a tale of needing a chamber pot and a room full of them appearing.

"That must be it," she said aloud as she slipped the Marauder's map from her pocket and looked for the next cupboard. Still partially distracted by thoughts of Harry and cupboards, the map tumbled from her grasp and fell to the floor. With a slight growl at her own clumsiness, Hermione reached down and retrieved the dropped item. Reading the map over to find where she was once again, having lost her place, she noted a name that couldn't possibly be there approaching the main doors of the castle.

Quick as a flash, a grin spread across her face and then she was off and sprinting down the hallway. The excited Headgirl rounded the final corner only to see her best friend whom she had been missing for the past two months. "Harry!" she exclaimed joyfully as she barely slowed her pace before launching herself at the wizard. In her excitement, due to Harry being there Hermione failed to even notice that he had been speaking with Headmistress McGonagall.

Harry barely had time to open his arm sufficiently before they were filled with Hermione. "Hey, Mione. I was hoping to see you," Harry whispered emotionally into her ear as he hugged her so tightly that he swore he heard Hermione creak. Holding the witch in his arms afforded him a moment's peace amongst the emotional turmoil he was currently experiencing. Harry realized that he had missed her far more than he thought as it felt so incredibly good to hold her once again.

Hermione couldn't believe how great it felt to have Harry's arms around her. The fact that he was nearly crushing her to him only made it all the more incredible in her mind as it showed that Harry had missed her just as much as she had missed him. "Hey, Harry," she whispered back, enthralled by the sound of his voice after not hearing it for so long. "I've missed you so very much!"

Minerva allowed a small smile to slip out upon seeing the two friends greet each other. As the moments lengthened and neither appeared to be willing to let the other go any time soon the older witch politely cleared her throat to remind them that she was there. Sadly that seemed to have little effect. "Miss Granger, nice of you to join us," she finally had to say before the couple finally separated except for holding hands with their fingers entwined.

"Headmistress! Sorry, I didn't see you standing there," Hermione stammered, embarrassed for not having noticed the older witch.

"Clearly," Minerva replied in her usual prime and proper tone though there was a definite sparkle of humor in her eyes. "Why am I not surprised that Mr. Potter is barely through the door and yet somehow here you are, anxious to greet him."

"I just happened to be in the area," Hermione lied, her eyes looking aside at Harry who was currently holding her hand tightly. Hermione noted the slight squinting of the wizard's eyes and the rather pained looked upon is a face. If anyone knew Harry, it was Hermione, and she could clearly see that the man beside was distressed. "Is something wrong," Hermione asked, coming right to the point.

"Would you be so kind as to fetch Miss Lovegood and bring her to my office?" Minerva requested of the school's Head Girl.

"At once, of course, Headmistress," Hermione replied as she gave Harry's hand a small squeeze before releasing it and hurrying off to do as requested.

Minerva started walking, Harry falling into step beside her. "I'm almost afraid to ask what brings you here Mr. Potter," she told him, knowing full well the man's propensity for attracting trouble from his years attending Hogwarts as well as his letter stating he couldn't return to Hogwarts. _It must be something important indeed to drag him here at this hour_ , she thought.

Upon arriving, Harry had only been able to tell the Headmistress that he needed to speak with Luna before Hermione had shown up. As they made their way to the Headmistress's office, Harry relayed what had transpired at St. Mungo's to the older witch, leaving out the oath part but telling her that he was now Luna's Guardian. "I thought it best that she heard it from someone that she knows."

"Xeno was a good man," McGonagall offered as they stepped into her office. "After his wife, Pandora passed away he became a bit unhinged," she told Harry as she took her seat behind her desk. "That woman was everything to him till Luna was born and then they both were. His wife was the one to suggest that he start that paper of his. A shame that their printing press was destroyed when their house collapsed."

"Sounds like you knew the Lovegoods fairly well, Professor?" Harry enquired.

"Pandora was a good friend of mine," Minerva answered. "We spent a great deal of time together as we both loved being witches. She was a brilliant, kind-hearted woman," McGonagall stated as her eyes took on that reminiscent vacant look which people get when they recall the past. "She loved to create new spells and had the mindset to do it. One day a spell went awry, and she couldn't control it. I was ever so saddened by her passing. Luna, the poor dear, was right there and saw it all too."

"I'm sorry, Professor," Harry offered upon hearing the heartfelt emotions in the usually stoic witch's voice. "Once the arrangement are made I'll see that you're notified."

"Thank you, Mr. Potter," Minerva replied with just before there was a knock at her door. Harry stood and turned to face the door as Hermione, followed by a slightly confused Luna, entered.

Upon seeing Harry, Luna's confusion turned to joy as a smile spread across her face. _He couldn't wait to see me again_ , was the first thought that crossed her mind. That thought alone was enough to nearly cause her to be walking on clouds once again. "Harry! What a wonderful surprise!" the petite witch said as she crossed the distance to him, stopping just short of hugging him as she realized that the headmistress was there watching them. "Miss me?" she teased.

"Luna….," Harry began only to have his throat choked with emotions. He knew that what he had to tell Luna would be devastating to the petite witch. It was breaking his own heart at just the thought of having to hurt her this way.

"Harry?" asked Luna, sensing that something wasn't right. She could see the pain in Harry's eyes as he struggled to tell her something. The witch wasn't in Ravenclaw for nothing. It didn't take her long to figure out what could possibly be so difficult for Harry to say. "It's Daddy, isn't it?" she asked only to see Harry give a slight nod. "When?" Luna voiced. It felt as if she had been punched in the chest by a Hungarian Horntail's massive head and she wasn't at all certain she would be able to draw her next breath.

"About an hour ago," Harry managed to get out as he reached out to her. Luna fell into Harry's waiting arms even as she fell apart and broke down into tears. Harry slowly lowered the distraught witch to the floor, never letting go of her, not that he could have with the grip Luna had on him. It was only a short moment before Hermione joined them both on the floor, wrapping her arms around Luna from behind in an effort to comfort her friend.

Some time had passed before McGonagall spoke. "Perhaps it would be best if you escorted Miss Lovegood to the Hospital wing," she suggested. "I'm sure you recall where it is. Poppy can give her a calming potion. Perhaps a dreamless slumber one as well," the Headmistress added as an afterthought.

Harry couldn't miss how Luna's hold upon him tightened at hearing the older witch's words. "Professor, I don't believe it would be in Luna's best interest to leave her alone at this time."

"I will stay with her," Hermione was quick to offer. "She can even stay in my rooms with me."

"Thank you, Hermione," Harry replied with a small smile of appreciation. He knew that Hermione would offer to help in any way that she could. It was one of thing he loved most about her. "You have your Head Girl responsibilities to see to and won't be able to be with her always. She needs someone with her always right now."

"What are you suggesting, Mr. Potter," McGonagall asked, suspecting she already knew.

"I think it would be better if Luna were to remain with me for now," Harry replied, confirming the Headmistress's suspicions.

"How long do you think it will be for?" McGonagall inquired as Hermione looked on in disbelief. The young Gryffindor witch couldn't believe what Harry was saying or the fact that the Headmistress apparently agreed with his request.

"I don't know," Harry confessed. "I've never had to do this before. A couple of weeks perhaps?" he suggested, thinking that it shouldn't take too long to make the funeral arrangements. The harder part would be afterward, getting Luna back up on her feet once again.

"I can extend to her a leave of absence but not for much longer than that, Mr. Potter," McGonagall informed him.

"Harry, you can't just take her," Hermione said, finally giving voice to her confusion at what was happening right before her.

"Actually I can," Harry explained. "She's my responsibility now as I'm her guardian." Harry leaned over and gave Hermione a chaste kiss on the cheek before he scooped Luna up into his arms and stood. "I best be getting her home," he said to McGonagall before a thought crossed his mind. "Winky!"

There was a soft pop announcing the arrival of the house elf. "Master Harry has called for Winky?" the well-dressed elf asked before noticing the distraught witch in her master's arms. It was evident to the elf that the girl was heart-hurt and in great pain. It was no surprise to the elf that her Master was willing to help the witch in his arm. _He is a great and kind wizard_ , Winky thought.

"Yes. I need you to bring Luna's stuff from the Ravenclaw dorm to the house as she'll be staying with us for a bit," Harry told the elf.

"Where would you like Winky to put her things?" the elf asked, noticing that the two other witches present seemed to be eyeing the dress she was wearing.

"We'll figure that out once I get there," Harry answered only to see the elf pop away to do his bidding.

"Was that a dress she was wearing?" McGonagall asked after the elf left. In all her years it was the first time she had actually seen an elf in proper attire. The Headmistress filed the fact away for later consideration considering the large population of elves that worked at Hogwarts.

"Yes. Dresses for the women and tails for the men," Harry stated, feeling that explained it rather nicely. "Professor, may I use your floo?"

"Certainly," the Headmistress answered with a gesture to towards the fireplace which magically expanded to allow for use other than just communication.

"Harry," Hermione called out. "I'll send a copy of class notes and assignments over. If you need anything. Anything at all…for Luna I mean. Let me know, alright?"

"You'll be the first to know," Harry assured her just before he disappeared into the floo network and was gone.

**-oOo-**

Harry stepped from the floo into the living room of Westfield Manor only to see both Daphne and Tracey still up and apparently waiting for him. The hour was late, and Harry had thought that they both would have been in bed by now or else he would have used the floo connection to his room upstairs instead.

"How's Andi?" Daphne stood and asked at the same time. The young woman had been beside herself with worry for the older woman who was fast becoming a close friend. Tracey stood beside Daphne, almost as concerned.

"She's fine," Harry assured her. "My presence wasn't called due to her."

Assured that the older woman was well, Tracey eyed the witch in Harry's arms and recognized her as Loony Lovegood. "Loony Lovegood? Bringing home strays now are we?" she asked before she could stop herself.

Harry's eyes were smoldering with anger as they turned to regard the auburn-haired witch who had just spoken. "She's certainly more welcomed than some, especially as she just lost her father!" he spat out angrily before apparating himself and Luna up to his bedroom. Harry walked over and tried to set the witch down upon his bed only to discover that Luna had no intention of releasing him just yet. Left with little choice, Harry settled himself upon the bed next to Luna and held her as she cried herself to sleep.

The first few days at Westfield Manor Luna had been inconsolable and wouldn't let Harry out of her sight for longer than it took to use the loo. The young witch slept in Harry's bed, curled into a small ball with Harry's arms wrapped around her. Her sleep was sporadically broken with bouts of tears. Harry did his best to console her, often going without sleep himself to watch over Luna. More than once he had dozed off only to awake to the soft whimpering of the young witch who was crying in her sleep.

On the day of the funeral, Luna had seemed to regain a measure of control, managing to get dressed and make it through the small ceremony. Professor McGonagall had arrived with Hermione who was given special permission to attend. Ron and Ginny both sent letters of condolences as they were unable to attend due to their schedules. Molly and Arthur Weasley were there as they had known the Lovegood family for some time. The funeral for Xenophilius Lovegood took place a week after his death where he was laid to rest beside his wife and life partner, Pandora Lovegood, in the back garden behind the rubble that had once been the Lovegoods' home.

In the week since the funeral Luna had withdrawn into herself, refusing to leave Harry's room. In contrast to before she now seemed to want to be alone and no longer clung to the wizard. Truthfully she was indifferent to his presence as if it didn't matter if he was there or not. Harry once again resumed his normal activities visiting Black Manor as well as paying a visit to Gringotts to see what there was of the Lovegood estate. Harry had no intentions of doing anything with it but rather would hold it in trust for when Luna was of age, and he could hand it off to her instead.

Stepping from the floo, Harry looked around and spotted Daphne seated in a chair with a book opened before her. "Good book?" he asked conversationally as he made his way over.

Daphne looked up and offered Harry a bright smile, doing her best to offer him some cheer. The past two weeks had been rather depressing around the manor. Tracey remained holed up in her room, fearful of Harry's anger as he had yet to forgive the witch for her crass words on the night of Luna's arrival. Even an offer of a shopping trip hadn't been able to dislodge her friend from her quarters. Andi, between work and school, was hardly ever home for longer than it took to see Teddy, sleep and freshen up.

"Well enough I suppose," Daphne replied as she set the book aside. The witch took a good long look at the man standing before her. The dark circles around Harry's eyes gave her cause for concern as it showed that he wasn't getting nearly enough sleep. The past few days he had been rather busy and had been in and out of the manor multiple times. Daphne couldn't help but worry about his health. The young witch stood and crossed the short distance between them before suddenly hugging Harry.

Harry froze at first at the unexpected intimate contact with the witch, but slowly his arms slipped around her waist as he buried his face in her hair as he pulled her flush against his body. "What's this for?" he asked after a long moment of just enjoying being held and the warmth of another living being.

Daphne's arm's tightened slightly as his words brushed against the bare flesh of her neck. "You just looked like you could use it," she finally replied in a soft whisper. "I'm worried about you, Harry. I think you're running yourself ragged. You're not eating enough or getting enough sleep I'll wager. Are you?"

Harry's grip tightened as well as he held on for another few seconds trying to absorb the peace and comfort he felt right at that moment. _Here I thought my life would finally settle down with Voldemort gone_ , he mused. The young wizard finally leaned back a little and kissed the startled witch on the cheek affectionately. "Thank you, Daphne. I think you were right and I did need that," he offered, avoiding her questions in the process.

"Anytime, Harry," Daphne managed to stammer out even as she felt the heat rise up in her cheeks.

"Any sign of Luna yet?" Harry enquired as he dropped his arms and stepped away from the witch forcing her to let go as well, abet reluctantly.

"Not as yet," Daphne answered, missing his warmth already. "Different people take longer to grieve, Harry. Luna didn't even get to properly say goodbye to her father, so I'm certain she feels as if there were things let unsaid between them both. It's not as if she can say them now after all."

Harry froze and just stared at Daphne for a long moment. "What did you just say?"

"I said she's still grieving," Daphne answered caught off-guard and a startled by the intensity of his gaze.

"No, after that," clarified Harry.

"That she couldn't speak to her father now?" Daphne said in a rather questioning tone, uncertain just what he was getting at.

Harry's face broke out into a huge grin just before he scooped Daphne up in his arms, spun her around once and planted a kiss on her lips before setting her down again. "You are a bloody brilliant witch!" Harry exclaimed before he raced from the room towards the stairway.

"I am?" Daphne barely managed to get out, finding that her very breath had been stolen away apparently. One hand slowly rose and touched her lips where she could still feel the warmth of Harry's lips upon hers. She had never imagined that their first kiss would be in such a manner, and she had given it a great deal of thought. It wasn't so much if it would happen but rather when. Daphne had it all worked out on just how she would respond too. _I didn't even kiss him back_ , she suddenly realized to her consternation.

Harry nearly flew up the stairs, taking them two at a time. Upon reaching the third floor, he quickly made his way to a door at the end of the hall. This door was unlike others in that there was no apparent doorknob on it. Harry paused and set his hand upon the door and pushed it open as it yielded to his magic. A brief stop at his desk and the wizard hastily made his way to his own bedroom.

The room when he entered it was dimly lit by a stray beam of sunlight that had fought its way through the small parting of the curtains over the window. Harry quietly walked to the side of the bed and seated himself. Luna rolled over to regard him when she felt the mattress shift from his weight. "Hey there," he said with a small crooked smile. "How are you today?" he asked as he reached out and removed a stray strand of nearly white hair from before her eyes and tucked it tenderly behind her ear.

Rather than answer his question Luna said, "You don't have to stay with me here, Harry. I'm certain you have far more important things to do with your time."

"Right now you're the most important thing in my life," Harry told her sincerely as he gently caressed her cheek with the backs of his fingers. "I've brought you something," he told her after they had stared at one another for a few moments. Harry took something from his other hand and gently pressed it into Luna's. "I hope it will help," he said as he leaned forward and kissed her brow. Without further words, he stood and quietly left the witch alone in his room.

Luna stared at the door Harry had disappeared through, and a part of her wanted to run after him and hide within his arms. A rather larger portion of her just wanted the world to go away and leave her be she hurt so badly. The young witch felt terrible that she had fled to Hogwarts, leaving her father to die all alone. That and the fact that she didn't get to tell him that she loved him one last time, ate at her night and day.

It was several minutes before the witch's curiosity got the better of her, and she took a look at what Harry had given her. Luna stared at the large black stone for a long moment before she suddenly sat up in bed in disbelief. "He couldn't have!" Luna said aloud as she looked at the Resurrection Stone in her hand. Luna grasped the stone so firmly it nearly cut into the palm of her hand as she thought of her father. A spectral form slowly appeared and soon resolved itself to be Xenophilius Lovegood.

It was many hours later, well into the wee hours of the morning, when Harry looked up from the book he was reading as the library door opened. He was only slightly surprised to see that it was Luna standing in the doorway. It was apparent that the witch had showered and changed as she was dressed in a yellow nightgown that reached to the floor and had kittens running about it as they chased each other. The kittens were actually running about the witch's body as they played.

Harry gave Luna a warm smile which seemed to be all the encouragement she needed to enter the rest of the way. The petite witch crossed the room, a stuffed animal in the form of a white cat, dangling from one hand. Without a word she climbed into Harry's lap resting her head on his shoulder and snuggled in as she hugged her stuffed cat. Harry simply set the book aside before slipping his arms about Luna and pulling her in tightly. "All right there, Luna?" Harry asked after a bit.

"No," Luna answered with a slight shake of her head where it rested in the crook of Harry's neck, "but better," she admitted.

"Anything I can do for you?" Harry enquired.

"Just hold me," Luna managed to get out before a quiet little sob escaped her.

Harry rested his head against hers. "For as long as you need me to," he assured her, and so he did as the girl in his arms cried the last of her tears on his shoulder.

"Thank you, Harry," Luna finally said after some time had passed and her body had ceased to quiver as she cried herself out. The witch slipped the stone into Harry's hand, returning it to him in the same manner in which he had given it to her.

Turning his head slightly, Harry kissed her just above her ear. "I didn't do anything," he replied modestly. Harry was glad that he had spent the several hours it had taken to find the stone out in the forest where he had dropped it that day. _As if I would leave a powerful artifact like that just laying out there for anyone to find!_

Luna lifted her head and looked him in the eye. "That's not true. You always do something, and it always makes me feel better. I don't know how you manage it or how I can ever repay you," she told him as tears still trickled down her cheeks.

"There's nothing to repay, Luna," Harry replied. "I care about you so sitting by and doing nothing when you're hurting really isn't an option for me," he explained.

"You're far too noble, Mr. Potter," said Luna as she smiled through her tears.

Harry gave a crooked little smile, "I'm just me." Anything further he was about to say was halted as Luna leaned in and kissed him fully on the lips. It took a second, but Harry's instincts took over, and he soon found himself kissing the witch back. _This is the second time you've had a first kiss with a crying witch_ , a small voice in the back of Harry's head mentioned.

It was a need for air which finally halted their first kiss. "A noble wizard deserves a worthy reward such as a witch's first kiss," Luna managed to get out between drawing desperately needed air into her lungs as the first genuine radiant smile since that night in McGonagall's office appeared upon the witch's face.

"Remind me to be a bit nobler more often," Harry replied. Still a bit stunned that Luna had kissed him. Luna's cheeks blushed brilliantly at hearing his words and the young witch buried her face once more in the crook of his neck in an attempt to hide the fact, but Harry had already seen it.

The two sat in comfortable silence for several minutes. "So, when shall we get married?" Luna asked.

Harry's mind shut down. "What?"

"You can't expect to kiss a girl like that and then ask her to let you go, can you? You need to take responsibility for your actions," Luna said in a serious tone, trying desperately not to laugh as she could hear Harry's mouth open and close without any words issuing forth.

"I…I can't?" the stunned wizard finally managed to say in a squeaky voice.

"Certainly not," Luna assured him, thankful that her face was hidden from his view. "I'm a soiled woman now. You took my first kiss. Will you merely cast me aside now like yesterday's rubbish?" Luna pressed her advantage.

"Of course not!" Harry managed to say, his arms tightening about the witch in his lap a bit possessively. "I would never do such a thing to you, Luna!"

The smiling Ravenclaw lifted her head and once again kissed the man with her. "Ever the noble wizard," she said when she could speak once again. "It's fine Harry. I was just having a go at you is all," she told him. If she hadn't known better, she would have thought Harry appeared disappointed by her words. "Besides, I know that I'm not the only witch in your life."

Harry certainly didn't know how to respond to that. The thought of marrying Luna wasn't unappealing in the least. _It would most certainly always be an interesting time with her around_ , he thought amusedly. Harry realized that she was right, though, there were others to consider as well. Not that Harry was any more certain of where he stood with them than he was with where he stood with the witch in his lap. "So what then is this?" he asked, grasping his Gryffindor courage and jumping out on a limb.

"I don't know," Luna told him honestly. For all, she knew this could simply be a byproduct of having lost her father and wanting a male figure in her life. Considering that Luna believed she had loved Harry before her father died the young witch didn't think that was the case, but she was too emotionally unstable at the moment to know for sure. She certainly hadn't intended to kiss Harry upon entering the library, it had just sort of happened. The second kiss was with full intent, however, of that she was most certain.

"I won't say it's nothing. However I have enough on my plate at the moment without adding to it," Luna said. "I don't think I'm emotionally ready yet, Harry. Maybe after the holidays, once I've come to terms with Daddy's passing and everything else we can see where we stand?" Luna hesitantly asked.

Harry breathed a sigh of relief at Luna's words. _That should give me plenty of time to figure out what I've gotten myself into_ , he thought recalling his oath to Luna's father. "Whatever works best for you, Luna," Harry replied sincerely. "Though I certainly wouldn't say no to another kiss now and then either."

Luna giggled, having rather enjoyed their kisses as well. "I'll see what I can do about that," she answered. Her father had told her everything of course just as Luna had written previously and told him all about her date with Harry and what a perfect gentleman he had been. She had always had an open relationship with her parents, so it wasn't hard at the time to tell her father that she had fallen in love with Harry Potter. She never thought for a moment that he would use that knowledge to force Harry into marrying her.

The young witch had been absolutely furious with her father's ghost when she discovered what he had done. The last thing she would ever want was to trap Harry into a marriage against his will. She knew she loved Harry and could tell that he had feelings for her as well. Luna was afraid that if Harry found out just what her father had done that he would be so mad that he would want nothing further to do with her. If that were to happen, she well knew it would break her heart.

_As long as he doesn't fulfill the next requirement we should be alright_ , she thought to herself. _He has already given me his protection as well as provided me with a hearth by allowing me to live here. I just need to keep him from sharing his family's bounty with me is all. Simple right?_ Luna realized that if Harry did that, then the magic would see to it that the final requirement was met…providing her with a family. _I'm not ready to be a mum just yet!_

Pushing her thoughts aside Luna climbed out of Harry's lap and taking his hand in hers, she pulled until he stood as well. "Come, my noble wizard. Let's get to bed before the night is completely over." Seeing the man's questioning look, Luna decided that she needed to be a bit blunt. "You will sleep in the same bed as me tonight, Harry, and you will hold me tightly as I don't want to be alone right now."

"If that's what you need," Harry slowly replied. He was rather reluctant to sleep next to the witch, having only just discussed their fledgling relationship. _It's not even that_ , Harry realized as nothing would be decided till after the holidays. Still, it was all well and good to sleep with Luna when she needed him to, but it appeared to him that she was doing better now. It had been her condition that had no doubt kept his teenage hormones at bay all this time he reasoned. Now, feeling that she was on the mend, he couldn't help but recall what a fetching witch she was.

"Tomorrow we can see about getting me my own room," said Luna as she turned to walk towards the door dragging a reluctant Harry behind her who was trying not to stare at her bum and failing spectacularly. "You know, the sooner we get to bed the sooner you get your goodnight kiss." Luna squealed in surprise as Harry scooped her up into his arms and apparated them up to his bedroom, hormones and all.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I think this will bring to a close the Luna arch of the story, only meaning that she will now be one of the group rather than an individual. We already had the Daphne arch which brought her to the manor. We'll have to see who is next, though I have my suspicions. Sorry if the chapter was a bit sad in nature but I needed a reason for Luna to be as the manor and this is just how it played out. I'll try not to make a habit of depressing issues such as this one. Hope you enjoyed the chapter none the less and I look forward to reading your reviews!
> 
> As always, your reviews are not required, but they are greatly appreciated.
> 
> Kind Regards,
> 
> EJ Daniels
> 
> All characters within this story, unless otherwise stated are the sole property of J. K. Rowling the original writer of the Harry Potter series.


	11. Unexpected Late Night Rendezvous

**Chapter 11 – Unexpected Late Night Rendezvous  
. . .**

The hour was late, well after the witching hour and when most sensible people were asleep. A lone figure made its way along the hall before descending the stairway to the main floor of the manor house. If one had been watching they would have noticed that the figured tried to make as little noise as possible. Silent footfalls upon the hardwood flooring made next to no sound at all. As the person reached the bottom of the stairs, it froze upon hearing an unexpected noise.

One of the large doors to the library cracked open bathing Tracey Davis in the bright light that spilled forth. The surprised witch was suddenly night blinded by the unexpected light and froze in place. The young witch's pose much resembled that of a sheep who looked up only to see a dragon about to snatch it up from the meadow. Deer in headlight syndrome. After several seconds the door closed, once again cloaking Tracey in darkness atop that of the nightgown she currently wore. The witch heaved a sigh of relief believing that she hadn't been seen.

"Hello Tracey Davis," a voice suddenly spoke from the darkness in the direction of the library doors. "Come to say goodnight to Harry as well?" it asked quizzically. "If you hurry you can catch him before he returns to his reading once more," Luna offered helpfully.

"What?" Tracey asked in confusion as she rapidly blinked her eyes till they became a bit more adjusted to the darkness again. The witch could just make out the pale blonde head of hair that belonged to Luna. "No," she added as the girl's words caught up with her slowly recovering brain. "On my way to the kitchen for something to drink," Tracey stated as she pointed in the direction away from the library.

"Me too," said Luna with a smile. "Let's go together." Having said so, Luna crossed the distance to the other witch, slipping her wand from behind her ear. " _Lumos_ ," she intoned only to see Tracey shield her eyes somewhat from the bright light. "Sorry. Hope you don't mind, but I haven't been here long enough yet to walk about without a light. Most of the time I have been here having been spent in Harry's bed," Luna added offhandedly as if she were discussing something of little importance. "While enjoyable, it does make it a bit hard to learn one's way about the Manor."

Tracey gawked after the girl for a moment as Luna set off towards the kitchen to satisfy her thirst. The former Slytherin hurried to catch up, not certain how to take Luna's last words. The two walked in silence till they reached their destination where Tracey set a kettle to heat while Luna retrieved a glass of milk. Leaning against the counter, Tracey watched as Luna magically warmed her milk. Once warmed, the petite witch jumped up and sat on the counter, her legs swinging back and forth absently as she sipped her beverage much in the same manner Teddy had drunk his chocolate milk.

The silence stretched between the two witches. _Why is she still here? She has her drink, shouldn't she leave with it?_ Tracey mused angrily. In part, her anger was really at herself. Tracey well and truly knew that she owed the witch currently with her an apology. Not that there had been many opportunities over the last couple of weeks to say anything. It was only two days ago that the blonde witch had finally left Harry's suite of rooms on the fourth floor and moved into her own bedroom. As she had been avoiding Harry, this was the first time she'd actually seen Luna.

The fretting witch finally swallowed slowly and opened her mouth to apologize only to have the kettle beside her whistle that it was ready. _Saved by the kettle_ , Tracey thought to herself a bit sarcastically. A quick glance towards Luna showed that the girl was apparently lost in her own little world and so hadn't noticed that Tracey had been about to say anything. Tracey hastily set up her cup and saucer added the tea leaves and poured the boiling water over them.

Standing there with her back towards Luna she slowly stirred the water. "Look, I'm sorry for what I said the first night you came here," Tracey apologized rather abruptly. "I shouldn't have called you _Loony_ or implied that you were a stray."

"I've been called _Loony_ my entire time at Hogwarts, by people who don't even know me," Luna finally responded with after a long moment. "I guess I shouldn't blame them for their ignorance. You don't know me either, Tracey Davis." Tracey bristled at the implied accusation that she was ignorant but held her tongue mostly because the petite witch's words rang of truth. "Fortunately there is a cure for you, Tracey Davis. All you have do is take the time to get to know me," Luna told Tracey even as the older witch turned about from her cup of tea. "Assuming you want to that is?"

Tracey regarded Luna for a long moment as she thought over the girl's offer. _It would certainly make living here easier_ , she decided. _It also looks as though she may come to live here after she's finished at Hogwarts_. Privately, Tracey hoped that she and Daphne would be long gone from there well before that time arrived. _I bet Harry will have her over for the holidays as well. At least she won't be sleeping in his bed anymore!_ She wasn't certain why that fact bothered her so much. It was quite vexing actually. "What do you have in mind, Luna Lovegood?" Tracey asked, using the girl's full name as Luna seemed so set on using hers in that manner.

"See, we're getting along better already. You even got my name right this time, Tracey. May I call you Tracey?" Luna inquired only to receive a small nod from the witch in question. "Then you simply must call me Luna! What I mean is that rather than me thinking you only go along with what others tell you, or you calling me Loony, we take the time to get to know each other and then make our own educated and informed decisions on one another instead."

"You may come to realize that I'm not nearly as loony as you've been led to believe," Luna stated as she slid down off the counter. "I'm certainly hoping that you're not as stuck in a bovine mentality as you first appear and can actually use that lovely brain of yours," she said in a serious tone that exhibited none of her former spacy characteristics that were ' _Loony Lovegood_ 's trademarks.

Tracey reached behind her and snagged her tea. "How do you expect us to do that," Tracey asked, pausing to take a sip, "You'll be returning to Hogwarts any day now." The witch didn't like Luna's words but found that she could hardly refute them. She had, after all, just gone with what she had heard from others rather than deciding for herself.

"Yes, well, that won't be happening," Luna informed Tracey. "I find that I need to remain here to keep our Harry from doing something he'll later regret," Luna explained. _I have to make certain that Harry doesn't share his family's wealth with me not matter what!_ Luna realized that she just had to get Harry to agree to her staying rather than going back to Hogwarts now. The wizard was her legal guardian as she herself was under age as yet. Luna had argued with her father not to send her to Hogwarts a year early, but he had been adamant that she was more than ready, which she was. That fact did her little good right now, however.

_She is Granger's friend, after all_ , Tracey mused. _She must have noticed just how close Daphne has gotten to Harry. Lovegood wants to stay here to keep them apart till Granger gets here I'll wager!_ The witch smirked inwardly as she recalled her conversation with Daphne concerning Harry and Granger's relationship. _Anything that keeps Daphne and Harry apart is a plus in my book! The enemy of my enemy and all that rubbish_ , she thought. "I see. Well, that should give us ample time to form our own conclusions then," Tracey agreed.

Luna offered a small dreamy smile. "I look forward then to becoming friends," she said as the two of them left the kitchen. "As for being a stray, I guess I was there for a bit but now that I'm with Harry, not anymore. Our Harry seems to have a penchant for collecting those who are a bit lost." Once again, Tracey was a bit lost herself as to how to respond to the peculiar girl's words. Shortly thereafter the two witches arrived at their rooms, each offering a hastily mumbled ' _Night_ ' before parting ways.

**-oOo-**

Harry made his way down the stairs with thoughts of the letter he had received from Headmistress McGonagall last night weighing heavily on his mind. It was already several days past the two-week mark he had initially told the Scottish woman which was why she had written. Luna would need to return to Hogwarts within the next two days of she would be dropped for the year.

The young wizard stepped into the dining room and smiled upon seeing that Andi was there. Of late the older witch had been off through the floo at early hours due to school or work. There were times when she was just too tired to make it down for the morning meal after a long night at St. Mungo's. Harry crossed to the seated witch who was feeding Teddy, "Good morning, Andi," he offered warmly as the two of them exchanged pecks on the cheeks.

"Good morning, Harry dear," Andi replied affectionately. "Plans for the day?" she inquired conversationally. The witch, ever since Harry's rather open display of concern for her wellbeing at St. Mungo's, had found herself missing the man nearly as much as she missed spending time with her grandson. It was all rather confusing to Andi as she hadn't expected to ever have feelings for another after Ted. There was a part of her that actually felt a bit guilty as if she was betraying the memory of her late husband. Not knowing what to do Andi tried to hide her feelings both from Harry as well as herself.

"Off to hire a solicitor today," Harry replied just before he leaned down and kissed the crown of Teddy's head, deftly avoiding the child's messy hands as the toddler tried to share his breakfast with Harry's clothes. "Good morning, Little Man," Harry said with a grin as Teddy squealed in delight, his features already well on their way to matching Harry's. The three witches present, Tracey being absent yet again, looked on with warm smiles at the two males interaction.

Harry continued his rounds, stepping over towards Luna who sat to the right of Andi with Teddy between the two of them in a highchair. "How are you today, Luna?" Harry asked, a concerned expression settling over his features.

"I'll be doing much better just as soon as I get my morning kiss," Luna assured him with a dreamy smile as she turned and dramatically thrust out her cheek.

With a small chuckle, Harry leaned down and placed an affectionate kiss upon the witch's cheek as requested. He was glad to see at least a spark of the old Luna returning. This, more than anything else, told him that his friend was on the mend. _She may not be back to normal yet, but she is at least on her way._ Harry, to play along, turned his cheek and received a kiss from Luna as well.

"There, much better now," Luna told him as Harry walked around the witch and retrieved his plate before walking over to the sideboard. "However I think I will be needing one of those every morning, just to make certain that I stay this way," Luna continued with as she watched the wizard's back with much affection. It had been rather difficult to fall asleep without Harry's arms around her. Being awake is what had sparked the trip to the kitchen the previous night.

The smile on Harry's face grew a bit at hearing Luna's words. "I think I can manage that," he offered over his shoulder before turning about with his meager breakfast. "Oh the sacrifices I make for those I care about," he added overdramatically, his emerald orbs sparkling with humour.

"And you love every moment of it," Andi teased.

"Right in one," Harry confessed. "If I ever do complain about kissing beautiful witches, please have me committed to St. Mungo's as there is something seriously wrong with my brain," he joked, only to notice that someone at the table had been unusually quiet. "Good morning Daphne. How are you today," Harry asked as he set his plate down before taking his own seat.

_What am I a hag?_ The young witch asked herself. _He can give everyone a kiss in the morning but me?_ "I'm well, Harry," Daphne replied a bit tersely before taking a sip of her tea. _He kissed me the other day, and not just on the cheek, and now he wants nothing to do with me?_ Daphne fumed behind her schooled features. "Thank you for asking."

"Harry," Luna said, drawing the man's attention from the blonde witch beside him, "You are being unusually mean," she scolded him with a pointed look.

"I am?" Harry stammered out, more confused than troubled by her words.

"You are," Luna confirmed with a nod of her head. "You can't just give everyone a kiss good morning and then leave Daphne out," the young witch explained to the slow-witted wizard.

"That would be rather insensitive," Andi quipped in with in support of Luna's words.

"Really?" Harry squeaked, his cheeks growing warm at the thought of kissing the beautiful witch beside him. Harry really didn't recall having already kissed her previously as he had been rather caught up in the moment by the prospect of being able to help Luna. It really wasn't his fault, men just think differently than women do after all, as in a great deal less at times.

"N…no, that's alright," Daphne stated, stuttering slightly in surprise at where exactly the conversation had gone. If she didn't know better, she would have suspected Luna of using Legilimency on her and reading her thoughts. "It's only natural that Harry would greet those he cares about in such a manner. Quite alright actually," she added a bit hastily.

"See!" Harry exclaimed, "She's perfectly fine with it," Harry said defensively though in truth it came out a bit more panicky than defensively.

Luna turned and looked towards Andi. "Oh dear, I think we may need to get that room ready at St. Mungo's already," the cute Ravenclaw said with a straight face, concern for the young wizard dripping from every word.

"We may be able to get him a private room even," Andi said in agreement. "He's clearly lost his mind after all. No telling what he might do to the other patients there." Both witches at the other end of the table turned and looked pointedly at Harry.

Caught by his own words, there was little that he could do Harry realized. _It's not as if I don't care for Daphne_ , he told himself. In fact, the issue was just the opposite in that he did care and that was why it was rather embarrassing. Screwing up his Gryffindor courage once again, Harry stood. "Well, there is no denying that you're a beautiful witch," Harry told Daphne, causing the girl to blush heavily and drop her gaze.

"It's alright, Harry," Daphne said in a soft tone as she stared at her plate. The young witch's heart was suddenly racing a mile a minute, and her mouth had become rather parched for some odd reason. "I know you don't care about me that way."

Harry leaned down and gave the blushing girl a soft, affectionate kiss on her cheek. The kiss may have last a bit longer than was called for, or so Daphne thought as well as hoped, but it was his parting words that nearly sent Daphne into cardiac arrest. "Are you so certain of that?" Harry whispered so that only she could hear.

"As much as I like St. Mungo's, I doubt very much that I would want to live there," Harry said as if nothing untold had been exchanged between Daphne and him. The slight blush on the wizard's cheeks was nothing compared to the bright redness of Daphne's face. Harry's own heart was beating considerably faster than normal as well. _I can't believe I said that to her! Bloody hell what am I doing?_ He asked himself as he resumed his seat. _I must be mental!_

"There now, that wasn't so hard now was it, Harry?" Andi asked as she resumed feeding Teddy, having paused to watch the byplay.

"No," Harry admitted as he focused on his food rather than looking at the witch next to him. "I rather enjoyed it actually."

"We should do this every morning!" Luna exclaimed happily. "You wouldn't mind, would you Daphne?"

"N…not at all," Daphne stammered, finding her food to be of extreme interest as well. _What did he mean by that?_ She wondered. _Does he really care for me? Do I care for him as well?_ Daphne knew that she did, the real question she couldn't answer as yet was just how deep her feeling went for the man. _If I do then what about…._ , her thought trailed off as her eyes shifted to the empty seat beside her. _What would Tracey think of all this?_ She wondered, uncertain just what she was going to tell the missing witch. _Maybe it would be best not to mention it?_ She thought as Tracey had recently started to become a bit disgruntled anytime she started talking about Harry.

"Luna, I received a letter from Headmistress McGonagall last night," said Harry after a few minutes had passed with little more than the sound of everyone eating. "She wanted to know if you were ready to return to Hogwarts or not."

"What did you tell her?" Luna asked as nonchalantly as she could while she pushed the food about on her plate. The bright witch hadn't formulated a plan yet to get Harry to allow her to stay.

Harry could well recall what it had been like for him when Sirius had passed away. He had mourned the wizard's passing all summer long. It wasn't till he had returned to Hogwarts that he was able to move on once again. The main reason for that was that Hermione and Luna had been there for him. Ginny had tried to comfort him but didn't truly understand what he was going through, never having lost someone close to her.

Hermione, being older and vastly more mature as well as knowing Harry better than anyone, never left his side as she could tell the pain he was going through. Surprisingly, Luna, having lost her own mother, understood Harry's pain as well and had come to occupy his other side. Between the two of them, they had seen to it that he was never alone. Little by little he had healed, but he doubted he would have been able to without them both.

_Still, this is Luna's education we're speaking of here_ , Harry reminded himself. _Granted she could always return next year to complete her seventh year, however, by then all of her friends from her same year will have already graduated._ Harry took a slow sip of his tea as he pondered his answer further. He could hear a voice in his head telling him just how important schooling was. The fact that the voice sounded like Hermione brought a small crooked smile to his face.

"Well," said Harry rather slowly, "I was thinking, it might be best for you to remain here," he told Luna, causing the young witch's head to pop up and look at him hopefully. "I know things for you aren't that great right now. I thought that maybe we could hire a tutor or something to continue your education so you could take your N.E.W.T.'s when the rest of your year does." Harry couldn't miss how Daphne's head shot up at this offer.

"Really?" Luna asked in disbelief. "You would do that for me?" It still amazed the witch just how giving Harry could be at times. It wasn't just the matter of the promise Harry had made her father that saw the witch wanting to remain at Westfield Manor, there was also Hogwarts. Even as a Prefect Luna didn't have many friends, Hermione being the only close one besides perhaps Neville Longbottom. The thought of going back to that lonely castle while still mourning her father's passing actually frightened her a bit.

"Certainly," Harry confirmed quickly. "You're more than welcome to sit in as well, Daphne," he added, turning towards the witch beside him. "That way you can complete your schooling also if you want to that is?"

Daphne didn't know what to say to the more than generous offer. "That's very kind of you, Harry," she finally managed to get out only to realize something. "That might mean that I would have to remain here longer than you had originally planned," the under-aged witch reluctantly pointed out, uncertain if that would be alright with the man or not. Though they had never actually spoken about the length of her stay, she had assumed it would be only till she was of age.

Harry gave Daphne a warm smile. "I'm fine with that if you are. I've gotten rather used to having you around, Daphne. I would hate to break up our little family," he added with a chuckle till his eyes fell upon Tracey's empty seat. Harry sighed inside, realizing that he would have to do something about the current situation. "Tracey is more than welcome to attend as well of course," he added, having noticed Daphne's nervous glance towards the empty seat beside her.

Daphne shot Harry a grateful smile upon hearing his words. "Thank you. I'll be sure to pass that along to her," she told him.

"Well, I had best be off," Harry announced as he pushed back his chair and stood. "Places to be, people to see and gold to spend," he explained with a grin. Luna stood and quickly came along the table and gave Harry a hug. "I'll write the Headmistress when I return," he told her.

"Thank you, Harry, for everything," Luna told him sincerely before the two of them exchanged peeks on the cheeks.

"Anytime, Luna," Harry replied. As Luna stepped away, Harry turned only to find Daphne waiting expectantly. Not wishing to hurt her feelings and having no clue what else to do, Harry accepted her into his arms and gave a hug, and a peck on the cheek. "You need anything while I'm out, Daphne?" he asked.

"No, I think I have everything I need," Daphne replied. Harry wasn't certain why the woman's arms had tightened just a bit more when she said that but then again he wasn't going to question being hugged tightly by a beautiful witch. He'd never questioned it when Hermione did it and wasn't about to start now.

Releasing the attractive woman, Harry walked around and gave Teddy a parting kiss, once again avoiding the messy grabbing hands of the boy. Harry wasn't all too surprised when Andi stood and hugged him also. The other two had done it so why not her as well? "Do be careful, Andi. Let me know if there is anything you need."

"You too," Andi said before her lips lingered on his cheek for a moment. "I won't be home for dinner," she informed him so that he wouldn't worry about her. Stepping rather reluctantly from his arms, she returned to her seat and proceeded to finish feeding Teddy his breakfast. With a last crooked little smile, Harry excused himself. "Was that all planned in advance?" Andi asked Luna after the wizard had left.

"Why whatever do you mean?" Luna asked with faux innocence as she resumed her seat and started to finish her meal. Andi just smirked knowingly, giving the Ravenclaw witch points for handling the situation rather brilliantly. Daphne stared back and forth between the two of them, certain that she had missed something but not really understanding what.

**-oOo-**

Tracey Davis slipped down the stairs, through the dining room, and into the manor's kitchen. It was yet another night she couldn't sleep. Insomnia had been something the young woman had battled ever since the incident with Gregory Goyle. Even on the nights, she didn't dream about what happened, she found it difficult to stay abed for more than an hour or two without waking. It had been over two years already, but the memory still haunted her.

The young witch, with practiced ease, filled a kettle with water from the tap before placing it upon the stove. A flick of her wand saw a fire ignite beneath it without a word being spoken. Tracey retrieved a large mug, admiring the pattern on it once again with a small smile. She couldn't help but wonder who had picked it out, Daphne or Harry. That thought quickly saw the smile dropping from her features.

Things had been moving all too fast as far as Tracey was concerned. When she had first received Daphne's letter, she had rushed right over to console her dearest friend, only to discover that she apparently didn't require consoling. That fact alone had made her suspicious, considering the small matter of Daphne about to be entered into a marriage contract against her will by her father. It had taken a bit of time, but she had finally cornered her friend and gotten the truth from her. Daphne being with Harry had all been a setup to protect herself.

Since then Tracey had sat back and watched in frustration as the closeness between Daphne and Harry only deepened. The young woman knew that she was jealous. Harry was taking Daphne away from her, and there apparently wasn't much that Tracey could do about it either. She had tried to play the supportive friend, but the more Daphne went on and on about how wonderful Harry was the more jealous Tracey became. Perhaps the most startling of facts was the realization that she was just as jealous of Daphne for the time her friend spent flirting with Harry.

_How could this have happened?_ She wondered as she waited for the water to boil. _How is it possible that I'm jealous of both of them because of the time they spend with each other?_ At first, she had simply played it off that she was angry with Daphne for not clueing her in on her plan to dupe Harry into offering her a place to stay, however as time went by she realized that was no longer the case. It grated on her nerves every time Daphne opened her mouth, and some playful banter was directed in Harry's direction.

"Bloody hell, I'm a mess," she said aloud. _It's not as if I have a thing for him_ , she told herself in an attempt to deny the fact. "That was a long time ago before that bastard Greg," she spat out. "I'm just concerned for Daphne's sake," she explained, not believing the false platitude in the least. "He could just be waiting to take advantage of her," she tried to add in an attempt to make it seem more palatable. "Bugger it! I'm bloody speaking to myself again!" she growled in frustration.

"I don't know who the bloke is, but he sounds like a bit of a tosser if he's just using some girl," a voice said from the darkness, frightening the witch out of nearly ten years of her life in the process.

Tracey shrieked loudly and spun about with her wand out before her, but she couldn't see anything in the darkness. "Who's there?" she demanded as her heart threatened to burst from her chest and flee without her if she wanted to stay and have a chin wag at a time like this.

"There aren't many people who can get inside this house, Tracey, unless I want them to," the voice replied. "Probably no one actually," the voice added with a humorous snort.

"Harry?" the witch asked in disbelief even as the tip of her wand lit up and showed the young wizard seated upon the floor, back against the wall in the corner. The young wizard held a glass of what appeared to be Firewhisky in his hand, and a Butterbeer chaser was beside him on the floor. "Well, it is your home," Tracey snapped, more than a little miffed at herself that she had reacted as such and that Harry had been there to see her out of sorts. The witch pulled her robe about her tightly though it did very little to make her feel more protected at the moment. She hadn't been alone with a man in over two years.

"Be it ever so humble," Harry replied with a humorless grin before he took a sip of the whiskey, quickly followed by a swig from the Butterbeer bottle. "I've found that tea will keep you awake rather than allow you to sleep," he told her.

"And what you're drinking?" Tracey asked rather scornfully now that her heartbeat was well on its way to returning to a more reasonable pace. "Will it allow you to sleep?"

"If you drink enough of it," Harry assured her. "I wouldn't suggest it though as you'll wish you hadn't when you wake up. Personal experience there," he added with a self-deprecating smirk at his own foolishness. He'd only had to do that a few times to learn the folly of his ways.

"How long have you been there," Tracey asked, suddenly realizing that he must have heard her arguing with herself. _I'm the world's biggest idiot!_ She thought as she lowered her wand so that it wasn't blinding the both of them.

"Long enough to see you do wordless magic twice," Harry replied with a small grin. "Nicely done, Davis," he congratulated her with a tilt of his Butterbeer bottle before taking another sip from it.

"It's nothing," Tracey said, glad that it was relatively dark in the room as it hid the blush that arose in her cheeks at his praise. Before either of them could say anything more, the kettle gave a little steady whistle. "I better get that," she said lamely with a thumb gesture over her shoulder. Something she couldn't quite put her finger on seemed to be a bit off with the wizard, but she dismissed it as she was tired, it was late, and Tracey knew she was a bit out of sorts.

"Probably so," Harry agreed with a small grin towards the witch who had only moments before had her wand trained on his chest. "I'll wait here," he clarified, making no effort to move from his current position upon the floor.

Tracey stepped to the stove and doused the flame, causing the kettle's rather loud whistling noise to quickly taper off. Once again she found herself embarrassed in Harry's presence. _No matter what I do I just end up making a fool of myself_ , Tracey lamented silently as she prepared her tea. She didn't mean to snap at Harry or say things in the manner in which she did. _They just sort of comes out that way_.

Whereas Daphne could exchange playful banter at the drop of a hat, Tracey had never possessed that ability. As a young witch, she had been rather shy and awkward around boys, often seeing her overlooked by them. Quite the opposite, Daphne had attracted the boys like bees to honey, seeing it all as nothing more than a game. That didn't stop the younger girl from looking out for Tracey. It only took a few mean boys teasing Tracey and then finding themselves no longer welcomed in Daphne's circle for the message to get out.

Tracey turned back with her mug of tea in hand. "I guess I shall leave you to your drinking," she stated rather reproachfully towards Harry. The woman wanted to kick herself just as soon as the words had left her mouth. Receiving no reply from the man, she turned to leave only to be stopped by his voice.

"I'm sorry," Harry's remorseful voice reached her ears, halting her in her tracks.

"Whatever for?" Tracey asked hesitantly, wondering if he had figured it all out after hearing her conversation with herself.

"I don't know. Whatever I've done to cause you to hate me," Harry replied. "I must have done something to earn your anger, Davis. Merlin knows I've tried to recall what it might be! Something I may have done to slight you either now or when we were at Hogwarts. For the life of me I can think of anything," Harry admitted in a slightly frustrated sounding tone.

Tracey cringed slightly as she heard Harry revert to using her last name. _No, you're wrong. It's all wrong_ , she wanted to tell him, but nothing ever came out of her mouth correctly where men were concerned. _It is all my fault, not yours!_ "It's nothing. Nothing at all," she heard herself snap.

"It must be something," Harry claimed, unsatisfied with the witch's answer. "Is it Daphne? I know you are her best friend and that she's yours. I don't want to take that from either of you," he assured her. "We're just friends, nothing more."

Tracey spun back around, tea sloshing over the rim of the mug and falling unnoticed upon the floor. "Are you really that daft?" she barked at Harry, fit to be tied as her anger at her own inability to articulate her thoughts found a suitable outlet. "You can't even see what is right in front of you!"

Harry was a bit taken aback by the venom in the woman's voice as she yelled at him. "You're right in front of me," he answered, perhaps having had a bit more of the whiskey than he should have had by then. _She's not making any sense! Why are witches so bloody confusing?_

"Daphne! You bloody wanker!" Tracey screamed. "She's fallen in love with you, she has!" Whatever reaction she had expected from her words it wasn't the one she received.

Harry snickered and then chuckled before he leaned back against the wall behind him and had himself a good laugh as the witch before him tried not to explode. "I'm sorry, truly I am," Harry finally managed to get out as he took note of Tracey's angry countenance. "That's rubbish," he explained. "Daphne told me herself, when she first moved in here, there was someone else she already loved. So you see, she can't possibly be in love with me."

"What?" Tracey asked in disbelief.

Harry climbed to his feet, causing the witch to take a step backward. "Relax, Davis. I'm just getting another Butterbeer," he told her as he set the empty bottle in his hand down and made his way over to the chiller. Harry retrieved the item and vanished its top before he turned and regarded the witch. "Daphne and I had a long talk about our lives the first night she was here. I know all about her loving another and not being able to be with them," he informed Tracey.

"She told you?" Tracey asked in disbelief, her cheeks heating up rapidly.

Harry gave a quick nod. "Wouldn't tell me who the bloke was, though. When she asked if you could come stay, I had to make certain it wasn't this mysterious guy. She is underage after all, so I have to look after her while she lives under my roof. It wouldn't do to have some bloke with her while she was here."

"So she told you about her real age as well?" Tracey asked, breathing a sigh of relief. "I thought you were trying to take advantage of her," she lied, believing it to sound truthful enough that Harry hopefully wouldn't ask about what she had been talking to herself about.

"Who do you think I am, Zabini?" Harry asked with a humorless snort.

"Wow! That too?" Tracey stated in disbelief, once more surprised at just how much Daphne had apparently shared with the wizard. "Bloody hell what else has she told you?"

"Language, Davis," Harry quipped, playing the part of Daphne. "We're pretty open with each other," he added. "Things just seem to work better that way," he told her, letting out a long breath.

_Not as honest as you think, Harry_ , Tracey thought as she recalled just how Daphne had ended up sitting at the curb right where Harry would see her. "No, it's not Daphne," Tracey told him with a dismissive sigh.

"Then what?" Harry asked. "You've been pissed at me since the moment you stepped into this house. Daphne once eluded to the fact that it has something to do with my gender. Do you just hate all wizards then? Maybe just dark-haired ones with green eyes?"

"It's not that simple, Harry," Tracey answered. "It's personal."

"I get that," Harry replied after a moment's thought. "I would imagine that anything that would cause you to hate all wizards wouldn't be something you'd like spread around." Seeing the witch shake her head that she wouldn't in fact like to have her secret spread about, Harry thought for another second. "I, Harry James Potter, swear on my magic-" was as far as he got before Tracey had crossed the distance to him and covered his mouth with her hand.

"No! Don't!" Tracey cautioned. "Oaths in our world carry a great deal more meaning to them than they do in the Muggle world, Harry," she told him as she slowly lowered her hand from his mouth. Tracey was more than a little surprised, as well as touched that he would go to such lengths apparently for her.

"I know they do," Harry assured her. "I just wanted to make certain you know that I would never tell another soul if you told me."

Tracey sighed heavily before stepping to the side and leaning backward against the counter beside the wizard. The silence stretched on for a few minutes before she began to speak. "It was our fifth year. Many of the Slytherin students were a part of Umbridge's Inquisitorial Squad. Daphne wasn't. I wasn't either as I was deemed unfit, being merely half-blood."

"One of the boys took to being sweet to me. He would walk me to classes, and he saw that no one else messed with me. I was more than a little surprised as guys never gave me a second glance with Daphne around. I don't mind. Truly I don't. She can't help but be as beautiful as she is," Tracey clarified rather quickly. Harry was certain from her tone that she truly wasn't jealous of Daphne's looks or popularity.

"As this boy was a member of the Inquisitorial Squad no one dared mess with him or me therefore by association. One night as I was coming back from the library he was waiting for me and instead of walking me back to the Slytherin common room he led me to an abandoned classroom," she told Harry.

"He kissed me," she said. To this day she could still recall her surprise that a boy would actually want to kiss her. Caught up at the moment as she was, lost in her first kiss and the feeling of his arms about her, she hadn't realized that he was slowly maneuvering her backward till her legs bumped into something unyielding.

Tracey wrapped her arms tightly around herself as she continued. "There was a bed there. He started telling me how privileged I should feel that he, a true Pureblood, had selected me from all the other girls at school," Tracey said in a shaky voice. "When I refused to drop to my knees and service him, as he called it, he struck me, knocking me to the floor."

Harry watched Tracey as tears trickled down her freckled cheeks. Harry wanted to wrap her in a hug but was fairly sure that the last thing she wanted at that moment was a bloke putting their hands on her. All he could do was stand there beside her and listen while hating the fact that someone had done this to this girl, or any girl for that matter. Silently Harry vowed that whomever this piece of garbage was, they would pay for what they had done to Tracey.

"The next thing I knew he was on top of me, ripping at my clothes. His hand grasped my chest painfully, holding me in place under him as he used his other hand to try and raise my skirt and robes." Unconsciously Tracey's hand rose and covered her left breast protectively. "I had bruises for weeks. In the end, the only thing that saved me was that Mrs. Norris and Mr. Filch heard my screams and came to investigate. He got away before he was seen."

"Did you tell the Headmaster or Professor Snape?" Harry enquired barely managing to keep his anger out of his voice.

"I didn't want anyone to know," Tracey said, a small sob slipping past her lips. She well recalled that time and how she had begged Madam Pomfrey to not tell anyone of what had happened. She felt dirty and covered with a foulness that no amount of showers and soap could ever hope to wash away. It had taken months for her to finally even tell Daphne about what had happened. This was the first time she had spoken of it since then. "Besides, who would have believed me? I'm just a half-blood, and he's a Pureblood!"

"So that's why you hate guys?" he asked only to see her nod slightly. "I would have believed you!" Harry replied. "I'm certain others would have as well."

"I didn't know you then so what reason would I have to tell the Gryffindor Golden Boy? Besides, from all accounts we heard from Draco and Nott, you would soon be dead. No one could have helped. Even the staff seemed occupied with things other than school work or students," Tracey said through her tears. "It was only a few weeks later that the Ministry acknowledged the return of the Dark Lord after his fight with Dumbledore."

Harry could well recall how hectic things had been at that time. Mention of his mentor caused Harry's heart to hurt with a dull ache. He still missed the man very much. "Look, I am sorry that happened to you Tracey. Truly I am. Tell me who it is, and I'll see that he pays for what he did!"

"It's alright, Harry. There's nothing you can do," Tracey replied as she wiped at her eyes and cheeks with the cuff of her robe. Once again she was glad that it was dark in the room as she feared she looked a frightful mess at the moment.

"In case you've forgotten, I'm Harry Potter," Harry told her with forced levity. "There probably isn't much that I couldn't do and get done at this moment if I chose to," he told her, fighting to keep his seething anger in check till he had a name to unleash it on. "Just tell me who it is, and I'll take care of the rest." _If the Aurors can't do anything, perhaps the Goblins would like a little more of my gold?_

"No," she said with a shake of her head, frustrated and wishing that once again she had been a bit clearer. "You've already taken care of it. He's dead Harry, thanks to you he died at Hogwarts."

Now Harry was no slouch when he put his mind to it. There weren't that many people from their year that were in Slytherin and had died at Hogwarts. Most of the Slytherins had been led away and kept from the fighting. The real clue was that the piece of shite had been a member of the Inquisitorial Squad. "Goyle," Harry spat out distastefully only to see Tracey nod once again. The wizard had died in the Room of Requirements by his own Fiendfyre.

They stood in silence for several long minutes till Harry suddenly felt Tracey lean into his shoulder. He could tell from the manner in which she was trembling that it had been difficult for her to talk about what had happened. Harry could only imagine what it must have been like for her at the time that the attack occurred. A small part of him thought it would be a splendid idea to bring the creep back to life just so he could kill him again.

"I'm truly sorry, Tracey, but thank you for telling me all the sa-" he started to say only to halt as Tracey's body rolled towards him, burying her face into the crook of his neck. It was only then that he felt the tears on her face and realized she was crying once again. For a moment he froze, and then he simply slid his arms about her and held her as she cried. _I seem to be making a habit of this_ , he mused, thinking of all the crying witches he'd held during his short life.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So there you have it, Tracey's reason for her "Manhate". I know many of you already suspected something of the sort. Give yourselves a cookie! :) The next chapter should, assuming the characters don't run away with the story again, see the appearance of Hermione. That's the good news. The bad news is that of a dirty little 4-letter word called work. It is getting rather busy and will be cutting drastically into my writing time. I may not make next Tuesday's deadline, though I shall make every attempt to do so. I hope you enjoyed the chapter. Drop me a review to let me know what you thought of it.
> 
> As always, your reviews are not required, but they are greatly appreciated.
> 
> Kind Regards,
> 
> EJ Daniels
> 
> All characters within this story, unless otherwise stated are the sole property of J. K. Rowling the original writer of the Harry Potter series.


	12. Coming Home

**Chapter 12 – Coming Home  
. .** .

Tracey Davis, dressed in a comfortable muggle skirt and blouse, took a seat on the small sofa in her outer sitting room. It was morning, and while the others were probably making their way towards the dining room, she was waiting for Winky's delivery of her own meal. The young woman recalled the events of the previous evening in the kitchen with a cringe.

"I can't believe I broke down and cried," she chastised herself, "in front of Harry Potter!" The woman could feel her cheeks heat into a blush. _I hadn't even intended to tell him_ , she recalled. _It just sort of came out, and once it started, I couldn't stop it_. Tracey's head shook a bit at her own foolish actions. _What will he think of me now?_ The young woman could still recall the feel his arms where they had held her as she cried.

Self-esteem had never been one of Tracey's strengths, often feeling as though she was not good enough for many things. Gregory Goyle had lifted her spirits only to crush them in the foulest of manners. The young witch had withdrawn into herself, leaving the world and others behind back then. Daphne had been the only one able to reach her, and through sheer determination, the blonde girl had gradually drawn her best friend back to a semblance of her former self.

Though everything appeared to be well on the outside, looks could always be deceiving. The young woman still harbored a low self-esteem and had never actually recovered from that day. It was a dark shadow, a heavy black ominous cloud that always threatened rain, even on the sunniest of days. If it wasn't for Daphne's presence in her life, Tracey honestly didn't think she could survive. Tracey smiled at the thought of the woman who was so much more than something as simple as a mere friend to her. She was beginning to suspect that there was someone else who could come to mean as much as well if she but let him. The question was, _what would Daphne think of that?_

An unexpected lite knocking on her door pulled the young woman from her thoughts. The witch wondered who it could be as Winky would simply pop into existence rather than knock at her door. _Everyone should be downstairs already_ , she mused. Rising, Tracey crossed to the door and opened it, a startled expression appearing upon her features. "Harry?" she managed to get out upon seeing the wizard at her door.

Harry offered Tracey a small crooked smile, feeling rather nervous right about then. It had all made sense in his head that morning as he dressed. Tracey had not been down for meals since Luna had arrived at Westfield. Daphne, though she tried to hide it, felt Tracey's absence keenly. Everyone knew why Tracey wasn't there. However, Harry wanted to move past that. Now, faced with the witch, he found himself rather tongue-tied. "Good, you're dressed," Harry opened with only to cringe at the lame greeting. "Shall we?" he asked as he turned and offered her his arm, determined to continue regardless of how terrible a job he was making of it.

"What?" Tracey asked as her gaze dropped to the proffered arm. She still hadn't cottoned on to what Harry was implying. The young woman's thoughts were all jumbled, having just been contemplating the man before her. She still felt the embarrassment from the previous evening.

"I thought I would escort you down to breakfast," Harry explained, still holding out his arm to her. "I believe that you've hidden yourself up here long enough," he told her.

"But Winky…," she replied rather weakly, still not having taken his offered arm and proposed escort.

"Oh, she won't be bringing your meals to your room any longer. I asked her not to," Harry informed the confused witch. "It's simple. Daphne misses you at meal times. Even I miss you," he told her, feeling as if it was getting warmer by the second for some unknown reason. "I've no one to glare at me," he added in a nervous tone, attempting a bit of levity. "I rather miss it."

Tracey stared at the man as if he'd lost his head, till his words sunk in. _Does he really miss me?_ She wondered to herself. "Well, we can't have that now can we," she asked in a playful tone that surprised even herself. Daphne was the one who did playfully after all, not her. Tracey slipped her hand into the crook of Harry's arm and allowed the wizard to lead her from her rooms. The pair descended the staircase in silence, both sporting a pink tinge to their cheeks.

It was to mixed results that they entered the dining room. Daphne wore a surprised expression, clearly not having thought that she would see Tracey at the table. The fact that her best friend was on Harry's arm only added to her confusion. Luna had a knowing smile that radiated her approval of Harry escorting the woman to her seat at the table. Andi was already gone for the day, and Teddy was well on the way to looking like a much smaller version of Harry, abet with food smeared across his cheeks.

Tracey offered Harry a shy smile when he pulled out her chair for her, scooting it in once she had seated herself. "Thank you, Harry," the witch said shyly. Tracey watched as Harry walked over to Teddy and gave him a peck on the top of his head as Luna distracted the child with another spoonful of food. The former Slytherin turned and looked at her friend next to her only to grin. Tracey reached out and placing her fingertip under Daphne's chin and lifted. "You'll catch flies that way, Daph," she said with a wide grin.

"Okay, clearly I've missed something," Daphne replied after snapping out of her shock and closing her mouth. "Care to clue me in?"

"Later," Tracey replied before she took her plate to the sideboard and served herself. The young woman was glad to be back with everyone else as she had missed their morning gatherings. The fact that Harry had gone out of his way to collect her made Tracey feel a bit special at his thoughtfulness.

Daphne turned and watched as Harry and Luna exchanged peeks on the cheeks. The wizard then came around the table and collected his plate. "You are just full of surprises," she said as Harry leaned down and gave her a kiss on the cheek. Harry's answering crooked smile had a kaleidoscope of butterflies doing the rumba in her stomach as she turned her head to peek his cheek.

"I thought it was time for her to rejoin us," Harry stated as he was kissed. "Besides, I could tell you missed having her here, Daphne," he offered as a parting shot as he stood and went to go serve himself, offering Tracey a small smile as he passed her on the way back to her seat.

_He did this for me?_ Daphne wondered as she watched him walk away. The fact was that she had missed her friend at meal times. While Harry and Luna were excellent company, as was Andi when she was there, they were not Tracey. They were not her best friend. The fact that Harry had known that, made her feel rather special inside.

"It looks like a busy day today, ladies," Harry stated as he set his plate down and took his seat. "I need to see about hiring an instructor for the lot of you. Before that, I'll need to stop by Gringotts to see about changing one of the rooms below ground into a sparring room where you can work on your practical lessons." Harry paused to take a sip of tea. "I should probably get you a key to my vault Luna."

"No!" the petite witch exclaimed loudly startling them all. The last thing she wanted was for Harry to share the wealth of his family with her. "What I mean is," she stammered out in a hasty recovery, "that I wouldn't feel right using your money, Harry. I'm sure Daddy has plenty of galleons in the Lovegood vault," she added with a waning smile.

Harry couldn't understand why she was against using his galleons but wasn't going to argue with her. _Technically they are both my vaults_ , he thought as Xeno had named him heir of all that he owned before his passing. "Do you need me to get you a key?" Harry asked.

"No, I still have mine," Luna assured him. _That was a close one_ , she thought as she turned to feed Teddy. _He's so generous_. It was a fact that Luna found rather attractive about the man. She wouldn't have minded if the consequences were not so dire. _No little brother or sister for you just yet_ , she thought as she regarded the toddler next to her who was like a son to Harry.

"Very well," Harry replied before turning to address the others. "Do either of you ladies need anything while I am out?" Both Daphne and Tracey declined, and so the meal progressed with light conversation and the usual banter. Harry couldn't help but notice that there wasn't a scowl directed his way the entire time. _Well, that is something_ , he thought, rather pleased with himself.

**-oOo-**

The next week proved to be more than just busy for the young wizard. The Goblins were contracted once again to work on the manor house, turning one of the lower rooms into a personalized version of a sparring floor. It looked very similar to what Dumbledore's Army had used at Hogwarts fifth year, complete with moving and attacking practice dummies. The room was so heavily warded that any magic performed there was undetectable. The construction though meant no end to the questions and details that apparently only Harry could answer.

Tuesdays and Thursdays still saw the young man going on dates with various partners, much to the chagrin of the women currently living under his roof. Saturdays were for Quidditch, and Harry never missed the pickup games with the guys. Finding an instructor proved a bit more challenging as Harry did not want a troupe of strangers coming in and out of his home. The man enjoyed his privacy, with few people knowing where he currently resided, and he planned to keep it that way. The hope was to find a single someone qualified to teach all the subject matter.

It was that very search that currently brought him to the offices of Wilburn, Wright, and Pinkerton. Harry had hired the group to represent his legal interests. They were a young firm, comprising of two half-bloods and a muggle born wizard, which is what had attracted Harry in the first place. He may have been better off with one of the older, more seasoned firms but he liked the fact that there was an actual Muggle-born who was a partner. Also, he found the ' _established_ ' firms to be a bit on the snooty side for his tastes.

Upon entering the waiting room via the floo, Harry was quickly shown to the office of Daniel Wright. Mr. Wright was a handsome young man, just shy of seeing his thirtieth summer. Daniel was well dressed in a dark suit with an impeccably trimmed mustache and goatee. "Ah, Mr. Potter," Daniel greeted Harry with, a welcoming smile on his face as he stood and walked around the desk to shake Harry's hand. "Right on time."

"Always a pleasure, Mr. Wright," Harry replied, accepting the man's hand and giving it a firm shake. It was then that Harry noticed that they were not alone. There was an older witch, not McGonagall old, but older than either of them, who had also risen to her feet upon his entrance.

"Mr. Potter, may I introduce Mary Macdonald," Daniel said with a smile as he gestured towards the witch with them. Mary was dressed in typical Wizarding fashion, a dark dress that would have fit better in an old black and white movie than in modern day London. There was nothing noteworthy about her features as they were rather plain. The hint of crow's feet and a few other emerging wrinkles suggested that the woman smiled a lot. Either that or squinted a great deal. _Perhaps both?_

"It is a pleasure to meet you, Mr. Potter," the witch opened with as she gave a polite curtsey. "You have your mother's eyes and your father roguish good looks I see," she added with a small smile at Harry's answering blush to her words.

"The pleasure is mine, Madame," Harry replied with a slight bowing of his head. "I'm afraid I am at a disadvantage, were you familiar with my parents?"

Mary gave a small chuckle and answering smile. "I think all the witches at Hogwarts were familiar with James Potter," she told him candidly. "At least up until his seventh year that is. As soon as Lily gave him even a hint of a chance James wouldn't even so much as look at another girl."

"I had heard that mum was rather hard on him," Harry replied with a matching smile. The tales of his father's pursuit of his mum were rather legendary yet he never tired of hearing them.

"That she was, but also on herself. I was one of Lily's closest friends as we shared a dorm room and all. I can tell you that she fought with herself all through her time at Hogwarts. Came close to giving into James on several occasions too," Mary confided. "She didn't want James to think it would be that easy to woo her, though. Other witches fell all too easily for that boy's charms. Your mum was determined not to be just another notch on his broomstick! The more he pursued her, the more she said no. Before long she was the only one he was chasing after, which was her plan all along," Mary added with a wide grin.

Harry was thrilled to meet someone who not only knew his parents but had gone to school with them and been a close friend of his mum's. "I would love to hear more about them," Harry nearly begged, prepared to sit down right there and spend hours listening if need be.

"I have loads of stories," Mary assured Harry. "James and that Black boy were always getting into trouble. I wonder whatever happened to him. Sirius was his name as I recall. Is he still about?" she asked, hoping that she was being casual about the inquiry. The truth was that back in her school days she rather fancied Sirius.

The smile on Harry's face dipped noticeably. "No. We lost him during this last war," he informed Mary. The all too familiar ache surfaced in Harry's chest at the thought of his godfather. Harry doubted he would ever stop missing the man who was perhaps the closest he'd ever come to knowing a father figure.

"Terrible business that war," Mary tsked, regretting bringing up the matter as she could see that it grieved him. _I shouldn't be surprised_ , she thought. _I'm certain a great many things have changed while I have been away._

"Mr. Potter, Miss Macdonald has just recently returned to England," Daniel Wright inserted rather quickly to bring the conversation back on track. "She has been teaching at Salem Witches' Institute over in the States for the past several years. We thought she might be perfect for the instructor you wanted. She is fully qualified in all the areas required, I assure you."

"What brings you back to England?" Harry inquired out of curiosity. If Mr. Wright said Mary was qualified, then Harry was all right with it, knowing the solicitor would have checked the woman out thoroughly prior to setting up this meeting.

"England is home, Mr. Potter. Always has been and always will be," Mary replied. "My family and I left back at the first rise of the Dark Lord as I'm a half-blood witch with my mother being a muggle-born. Even in the States we heard tell of the struggle that went on here and that you saw to the final demise of that evil man. I figured it was once again safe to return home. While it is nice to be at Salem and reside with our cousins across the pond, they don't even speak the Queen's proper English," she confided. "And don't get me started on the tea," Mary hastily added with a disparaging eye-roll.

"I see," Harry replied. Never having been out of the country, he could only imagine. "I am assuming Mr. Wright explained the need I have?"

"As I understand it you have three seventh year witches who need to complete their schooling and sit their N.E.W.T.'s," Mary said to answer his question, the Professor in her coming out in spades. "What Houses are they in?" she enquired, having an aversion to Slytherin House due to being assaulted by that Mulciber boy who had used Dark Magic on her during her fifth year at Hogwarts. The Pureblood Slytherin later claimed it was just a prank and meant to be in good fun, thus by escaping punishment.

"Luna is a Ravenclaw. Her father recently passed away which is why she will not be returning to Hogwarts for the completion of her final year," Harry told her. "Mr. Lovegood made me her guardian just prior to his passing. Daphne and Tracey did not return to Hogwarts for their seventh year at all and will require additional work to catch up with Luna I suspect. All three are brilliant witches, though," he assured her. "I think you will find them to be exceptional students."

Mary gave a nod of understanding. "I expect my students to be punctual, Mr. Potter. It will be up to them to make it to classes. You may be paying for my time, but I will not stand for it being wasted," she stated in a business-like tone that could have just as easily come out of the mouth of Headmistress McGonagall.

"That shouldn't be a problem as they all are staying in my home," Harry stated. "They are very responsible women I have found. I doubt very much that you will have any problems with them."

Mary eyed the man for a long moment. The thought of three young witches living under that same roof as a young teenaged wizard did not sit well with her proper English sensibilities. "James would be ever so proud of his son," she finally said in an even tone.

Harry's smiled widened a bit at hearing her words, happy to know that his father would approve of his taking in and helping those in need. After a moment or two, he couldn't help but ask, "My mum?"

"Yes, as I said, your father would be ever so proud," Mary replied after a long pause. "I am assuming there are proper facilities at the location for them to do their school work?" she asked quickly changing the subject. It wasn't her place to judge the man or tell him that Lily would be rather disappointed with her son should she learn that he was playing with the hearts of those three witches.

"I would be more than happy to show you around the place," Harry offered, not sure what to make of the woman's answer and hence decided to let it pass. Even living with four witches, women still confused him for the most part. He was hoping that Mary would accept the offered position so that he could check an item off his ' _To Do_ ' list.

"Are there accommodations nearby where I may stay for the duration of this assignment? A hotel or Inn perhaps?" May asked. The older witch was currently staying at a relative's till she could find a place of her own. The house was lacking a floo connection, making it difficult to get around at times. The teaching job would put off buying a place for a while, but it would also allow her to earn more galleons which would help with the final purchase of a home afterward. The young wizard was offering three times the usual rate.

"You can stay at the manor with the girls and me," Harry offered. "My home is located in a muggle area so staying at the local inn might present a problem," he explained. "I have plenty of room as well as a sparring room and full potions lab for you and the girls to use. If there is anything else required I can have it added as there is plenty of unused space to accommodate just about anything," Harry told her.

"Perhaps once I have seen the place," Mary replied as she extended her hand. "If it is acceptable then you have yourself a teacher, Mr. Potter." _I may also have to play at governess to protect these young witches_ , she mused silently. _It's the least I can do for Lily._

"Thank you, Miss Macdonald," Harry answered, accepting the hand and shaking it. "I'll sleep a bit easier knowing that the girls are in your care." Harry released her hand and looked towards Daniel Wright. "Anything on that other matter?" he enquired. Harry had provided an explanation and a copy of his oath to Xeno Lovegood to the firm so that they could look into the matter and see what would be required of him to fulfill it or hopefully get out of it completely.

"Not as yet, Mr. Potter," Daniel replied. "As soon as we know anything we'll contact you."

"Thank you, Sir," Harry replied, shaking the man's hand. "Shall we?" Harry asked with a gesture towards the door for Mary to proceed him out. The witch left the office with the two men behind her. Harry took her by the elbow, and the two of them disappeared into the floo network.

**-oOo-**

The hour was late, and everyone was already abed and sleeping as Harry sat in the library reading a book. Mary had settled into the manor with little fuss though there had been a shopping trip involved to furnish her rooms. Harry was fortunate enough to have had other plans and begged off going this time. As Daphne still had her muggle galleon card which Harry had provided her, his absence was hardly noted. He later learned that there hadn't been a trip to the woman's unmentionables store.

In the two weeks since Miss Macdonald's arrival and the start of classes, Harry had noticed that the witches seemed to be in better moods. _Perhaps they were bored and needed something to do_ , he mused absently. The school work and potion brewing certainly kept them busy for the greater part of each day. It seemed to him that the added distraction was working well for Luna as well as the young witch was slowly healing from her father's passing. Life, if anything, had become a bit more hectic for all of them.

Not all things had changed of course. They all sat down for breakfast together as well as for dinner. Andi was introduced to Mary who recalled the Black sister who was several years ahead of her at Hogwarts. Andi had no recollection of Mary which neither thought unusual as the older years pretty much ignored the younger years at school. That and given the fact that Andi was Slytherin and Mary was Gryffindor it was highly unlikely that their paths would have crossed. Mary was glad to learn that there was apparently an older witch there to watch out for the girls.

The Yule holidays were still three weeks away, and Harry had been busier than ever. The young wizard, in conjunction with the help of Gringotts, was preparing a Christmas surprise he hoped would see Luna well on her way to recovering. Harry was also looking forward to having Hermione home as well. He couldn't wait to show her the library which Luna had been helping him stock with books. The other witches had learned of his desire to fill the shelves of the room and had been adding their suggestions as well. Mary had been very adamant about a number of books that the girls would need for their lessons.

Harry's reading was interrupted by the soft pop of an elf's arrival. Looking up, Harry saw Kreacher had appeared. The elf hastily raised a finger to his lips in a hushing motion before the old elf took several hasty steps backward and partially hid behind a bookcase. No sooner had the elf concealed himself than there was another soft pop and Winky appeared, hastily looking about.

"Can I help you with something, Winky?" Harry asked, seeing that she seemed to be searching for something or someone. Harry was fairly certain just who the persistent she-elf was after. It was all he could do to keep from laughing as Kreacher cowered behind the bookcase lest he be seen.

The elf's eyes zeroed in on her master as if she hadn't even known he was there. "Winky thought it best to see if Master Harry required anything further before Winky went to bed," the small elf replied still looking about.

"Thank you, Winky. I think I'm good for the rest of the evening," Harry told her, deciding not to mention the fact that it was already well past midnight. "Are you searching for something?"

Winky froze for a moment before her head slowly turned and regarded Harry. "Winky thought that perhaps Kreacher was here," the elf confessed, unable to lie to her master. "Winky wanted to ask Kreacher something." While unable to lie she could tailor her answers so as to give away as little as possible apparently.

"Shall I call him for you?" Harry asked. Behind Winky, Harry could see Kreacher's head peeking out, and the old elf's eyes grew with fear to nearly twice their size upon hearing Harry's words. It was evident to the wizard that the elf was terrified that his master would follow through on his words.

"No. Master Harry is very kind to offer. Winky will ask Kreacher tomorrow," the elf replied before popping away.

"Alright there, Kreacher?" Harry asked with a knowing grin as the old elf stepped out from his hiding place. He had, on more than one occasion, stumbled upon Winky trying rather aggressively to convince Kreacher into gifting her with a child. Harry was a bit surprised that the old elf had lasted this long.

"Kreacher is sorry for disturbing the young Master," the elf replied with a bow after stepping from his place of concealment.

"It's quite alright," Harry said, waving away his concerns. "I understand, Kreacher. Chin up old man," Harry added encouragingly just before the elf popped away to some other hiding place for the night. _Glad I don't have those sort of women problems_ , he told himself. _No, you just like women who are in love with someone else or are emotionally unreachable, as, in Luna's case_ , the voice in his head was quick to remind him. "Power of love my arse," he mumbled under his breath as he returned to the book he had been reading.

**-oOo-**

"Wait. Say that once again," Harry said in amazement, certain he had heard things incorrectly. This certainly had to be one of the strangest meetings he had ever attended, which was saying something. Harry glanced at the goblin beside him, but Bob appeared unbothered by anything that had been said previously. "Start from the beginning please," Harry requested as he felt a headache beginning.

Helen Davis was an elegant lady. Dressed fashionably for the Wizarding world with an abundance of jewelry which sparkled just so in almost any lighting, charmed no doubt. The fur-lined cape, dark green floor length dress, and matching hat were sure to be the height of fashion. None of this mattered to the wizard sitting in front of her of course, but she didn't know that. Besides the Davis, matriarch sat her husband who hadn't said more than two words the entire time. Next to him sat the Davis Account Manager, Crackjaw, who glared daggers at Bob only to be pointedly ignored.

"Mr. Potter," Helen Davis started with as she sat up stiffly in her chair. The witch wasn't certain what could be gained by going over the proposal once again. _It's fairly straight forward_ , she thought to herself. "My husband and I own Divine Dresses by Davis. We offer handmade dresses to those that want their apparel to be a cut above the rest and have the galleons to afford it. Only the crème de la crème, the wealthiest of the upper class will be seen in one of my creations," she assured Harry.

Harry was not impressed. Having spent time with snooty solicitors and more than his fair share of Pure-bloods bigots, he had little patience for people who thought themselves better than others. If it weren't for the fact that these were Tracey's parents, he wouldn't have agreed to this meeting in the first place. Harry had come to the conclusion that this had been a waste of time till the woman had gotten to the last part of her pitch.

"With the recent disagreement in our world, business has been rather less than desirable," the woman understated. It was hard to get good business when the head of several of the wealthiest and prominent houses in Britain had been arrested and incarcerated for backing the lunatic known as Voldemort. The fact that the woman called the war a _disagreement_ told Harry just whose side she had been on. "We, like everyone else, have felt the shadow of the Dark Lord," the woman continued with in a sorrowful tone, playing it up for all she was worth.

"Due to this, we have found ourselves in a rather unfortunate position," Helen stated. "With the Yule fast approaching we would usually be working on our spring selection already but are rather short on finances," she said while trying to look embarrassed by the admission. Harry was certain no small amount of gold had made its way into Voldemort's hands. "We need 250,000 galleons to see us through this dry spell."

"Why not just request a loan from Gringotts?" Harry asked as it seemed the obvious solution to the problem even to his business challenged mind. He was by far no expert, but he thought that was exactly what banks were for.

Helen folded her hands in her lap and reminded herself that this was just a boy. _A very wealthy boy as he inherited the Black family fortune, but a boy none the less._ "They would want a portion of the business to secure the loan. The very thought of Goblins owning a part of such a prestigious Wizarding business is just too ghastly to contemplate, Mr. Potter!" Helen declared not caring one bit that there were two goblins seated at the table with them at the moment. "They're clothes for witches after all, not goblins," she added in the same tone one would when attempting to explain something to a small child.

Harry had understood all that of course. It was right around this point that they had lost him. Harry leaned forward and rested his elbows on the table top, entwining his fingers before his chin. "Rather than sell me a part ownership," he said slowly, Harry was familiar with the concept of being a silent partner thanks to Weasleys' Wizarding Wheezes, "you want to sell me…," Harry trailed off, finding he was unable to say what he had thought the witch had stated the first time.

"Our daughter, Tracey," Helen provided. "Divine Dresses by Davis has been in our family since it first opened. We've clothed the most famous witches through the ages, even royalty at times. It just wouldn't do to have the business owned by anyone who isn't a Davis," Helen stated, explaining why they wouldn't sell a portion of the business to him.

Harry sat back, once again gobsmacked by the offer. "So I would marry her?" he asked in disbelief only to see the witch nod. "What does Tracey think of all this?" Harry found himself asking. He may not know Tracey as well as he knew the others women staying at Westfield but he couldn't see her agreeing to such an arrangement. Frankly, he would hate to see what would be left of the person that even proposed it to her.

"Mr. Potter, the Davises may not be a Pure-blood family, but we adhere to the old ways. Tracey will do as her Head of House tells her to," Helen assured him a bit smugly. The thought that anyone would even dare defy her wishes never even entered her mind.

There was little doubt in Harry's mind just who that _Head of House_ was, and it certainly wasn't the man seated next to the witch before him. Still, he had to at least try. "Mr. Davis, you've been rather silent during this entire meeting. Are you alright with this arrangement? Certainly selling off your only daughter can't sit well with you?"

Benjamin Davis was a rather round fellow. The years had not been kind to him, nor had been living with his wife. Long before they were hand-fasted, it was apparent just who was in charge. The one bright spot in his otherwise miserable life had been the birth of his daughter, Tracey. Right from the start, he had spoiled her, buying her toys and anything that she asked for. He knew Helen hadn't approved, but he continued anyways, his one act of defiance. That disapproval had turned to anger and then jealousy over the years.

Benjamin looked up as he was addressed. A fearful glance towards his wife saw her glaring at him for not immediately answering affirmatively as he had previously been instructed. He knew this was Helen's way of getting rid of the only thing that mattered in his life. Tired sad eyes regarded Harry for several long moments. "You would take care of her and see she is treated right? You'd make my little girl happy, wouldn't you?"

"Of course, Sir," Harry replied upon seeing the pain in the man's eyes at the thought of losing his own flesh and blood. In Harry's mind, it wasn't so much a question of if he would take care of Tracey or not but rather if she would let him or just hex him into oblivion instead. Harry was fairly sure it would be the latter of the two options.

"As a father, that's all you really want for your children. That they can be happy and well cared for, Mr. Potter. If you can give her that then you'd be giving her something I never could, a loving home," Benjamin confessed, ignoring the hissing warning from his wife. "When she was little she loved to draw. She was good at it too! Had a real talent for color coordination. I think she would have made a grand designer one day," he told Harry rather wistfully.

"Yes," Helen hastily interceded before the man could say more, "this would be for Tracey of course. After that incident with the Goyle boy, her prospects are rather limited, you understand."

"I was sorry to hear about that," Harry offered, not realizing that there may be others that knew as well. _It only makes sense that her parents would know_ , he thought. The school, of course, had notified her parents of what had happened at the time.

"If only she hadn't turned him down!" Helen stated. "She would have been a part of a nice Pure-blood family now. Maybe not his wife, but had she borne him a child, and had it been a son, they would not have been able to cast her aside then." The woman's heartless words had Harry's anger spiking while threatening to slip his control.

It didn't take a group of Ravenclaws to see that Mr. Davis wanted what was best for Tracey while Mrs. Davis just wanted the girl gone from their lives. Preferably in a manner which benefited herself. Harry sat back and honestly, didn't have a clue as to what he should do. If he loaned them the galleons and they couldn't pay them back, he would have Tracey. If they did pay back the loan, Tracey would be free, but he still would have agreed to such terms as using her as collateral. _No doubt she'll hate me for the rest of my life should she ever find out._ There was also the fact that he didn't want Tracey, or anyone else, under those conditions.

"I think it would be best if we were to go over the numbers before we make a decision," Bob said to break the lengthening silence and perhaps sensing Harry's anger. "Once I've reviewed them and had a chance to speak with Mr. Potter we'll let you know his decision." The others in the room left after offering polite parting words to Harry.

"How do I get myself into situations like this?" Harry asked rhetorically as he stood and began pacing to work off some of his anger. "How can she be so bloody heartless concerning her own daughter?" he fumed.

"There will always be those who only care about one thing, themselves," Bob offered as he looked over the paperwork for Divine Dresses. The numbers looked good. Too good. Especially for a business that had reportedly fallen on hard times due to the war. The goblin's gut was telling him that there was something else going on here.

"But it's her child!" Harry reiterated. The frustrated and angry wizard dropped into a seat as the pacing really wasn't helping any. _I need to destroy a few practice dummies_ , he thought as he moved testing the new sparring room at home to the top of his to-do list.

Further discussion was halted by a knock upon the door. Bob called out, and a smaller, younger, goblin ran in and handed the Potter Account Manager a piece of parchment before hastily leaving. Bob read the parchment, a slow toothy grin spreading across his face. "This is beginning to make more sense now," he said to Harry. The wizard arched a brow in question. "Upon receiving their meeting request I had some of my people look into the business and family, just as a precaution."

"I take it they found something?" Harry enquired, sitting up straighter in his seat.

"The Davis family secured a large loan from the Gnomes of Zurich and used that gold to start their business, Divine Dresses. As the loan was against their family and not their business, it not having existed as yet at the time, it doesn't show up when checking the financial records for the dress company," Bob explained.

"They have been making annual payments to the Gnomes for many generations but whoever signed the agreement failed to read the fine print or just figured they would be long dead at the time and hence didn't care. There was a substantial increase in the interest amount over the years. The Davises have apparently only been making the minimum payments all along, till recently. They've missed three payments, and so the greedy Gnomes are calling in the loan in full," recounted Bob.

"So?" Harry asked, being rather clueless about the business world and what the information Bob had just given him meant.

"Each time they missed a payment the interest rate doubled," Bob explained. "The initial loan was for 500,000 galleons. Their payments over the last five hundred years haven't really decreased that amount. With the increase in interest rates and the now delinquent status of their loan it has ballooned to this amount," Bob said, showing a rather significant figure to Harry.

The young wizard let out a low whistle at the site of the large number. Harry looked thoughtful for a long moment. "So they will have to sell their business after all," he mused aloud only to see Bob shake his head.

"It won't do them any good. The Davises used a portion of the company's equity to make the last loan payment," Bob said. "Due to this and given their limited number of clients, the business isn't worth more than 750,000 galleons."

"So what would my loan buy them?" Harry asked, more than a little confused.

"Time," Bob offered with a shrug of his shoulders.

It became rather apparent to Harry that Helen Davis had no intentions of paying back the requested loan, seeing her daughter as a small price to pay for the galleons. "Limited number of clients?" Harry asked, still a bit confused.

"Divine Dresses uses only the best materials, Mr. Potter," replied Bob. "Not just anyone can afford to wear Acromantula silk, Dragon scale or Basilisk skin. Even fewer are willing to part with the gold to do so."

"What do you think we should do, Bob?" asked Harry. The wizard knew that he was well out of his area of expertise. Casting spells and defeating Dark Lords he could do, weighing financial decisions was as confusing as Arithmancy to him.

"My advice would be to walk away from it and leave them to their fate," Bob stated. If there was no profit to be had, then there really was only one choice as the gold loving goblin saw it.

"What fate?" Harry asked.

"The Gnomes are rather ruthless, Mr. Potter," Bob stated with what almost sounded like admiration in his voice. "They'll take the business and sell it off to get as much gold as possible for it. If they don't get enough, then they will go after the family. Depending on how the loan contract was written they may claim the family itself as payment. It has been known to happen," Bob said upon seeing Harry's look of disbelief. "The Gnomes have no issue with slavery as it can be profitable and is a good way to recoup lost gold."

_If that happens then, Tracey is as good as gone and will be owned by the Gnomes or someone else._ Harry's anger returned at the thought of the life of slavery that possibly awaited the woman currently under his care. That wasn't something Harry was going to allow to happen. Ever. Harry, being a wizard that leapt first and asked questions later, turned towards his Account Manager, "Bob, here is what I want you to do…"

**-oOo-**

Hermione escorted the two first year Hufflepuff boys back to their seats after having discovered them running amuck in the corridor. Hufflepuff's fifth-year Prefect, a rather frazzled looking girl whose name escaped Hermione at the moment, collected them and thanked her profusely. The Head Girl continued her patrol along the Hogwarts Express, glad for the distraction.

The young woman had never been as nervous as she currently was. _I'm going to see Harry_ , she thought, a happy smile spreading across her face at the very thought of seeing him once again. _I'll be staying at Harry's house!_ Granted, she didn't think Grimmauld Place was all that pleasant a residence to be at, being rather dark and dreary, but it was with Harry which made all the difference in the world to her.

"Luna will be there too," she mumbled aloud as she recalled that fact. The prospect of seeing her friend again only added to her excitement. Truth be told, it had been a bit lonely without the petite Ravenclaw around to talk to and share classes with. Granted there were other girls she knew who had returned for their seventh-year, such as Susan Bones, Lily Moon, and Megan Jones, but she wasn't as close with them.

Passing a compartment, Hermione paused as she recognized one of the couples seated within. The Head Girl knocked on the glass of the door before sliding it open. "How goes it Jessy, Bradley?" she greeted the pair who were holding hands. "All set for the holidays?"

"Oh yes!" Jessy beamed with a brilliant smile breaking out on her freckled face. She was a cute girl in that ' _girl next door_ ' sort of way, with long chestnut hair and a heart shaped face. "Bradley is coming over on Boxing Day to meet my parents for the first time. I just know Papa, and my Mum are going to love him as I do!" the young fourth year Hufflepuff exclaimed as she clung to the embarrassed boy's arm.

"A bit brave there Bradley," Hermione teased. "Perhaps you should have been a Gryff instead?"

Bradley Pinkerton was a narrow boy of some height with dark wavy hair and compassionate eyes. "My dad is a solicitor, so I think I'll be alright," the boy answered, trying not to show how nervous he was about meeting his girlfriend's folks. "I mean what's the worst they can do to me? A bit of yelling and tossing me out I suppose."

"That's simply rubbish," Jessy assured him, clasping their joined hands with her free one. "Mum is certain to adore you just as I do! Papa might give you a hard time, thinking it is what a father is supposed to do with a boyfriend, but mum will keep him from going too far with it. How could they not love you?" Jessy asked in a tone that clearly indicated that the thought was simply ludicrous to the besotted girl.

"Best not mention the broom cupboards then," Hermione quipped in with, trying to keep a straight face as Bradley paled. The others in the compartment were not so kind as snickers, and soft tittering could be heard. A glance towards Jessy and an arched brow provided Hermione the answer to her unasked question.

"Fifty-seven," Jessy announced proudly. Having been caught in a broom cupboard by the Head Girl hadn't prevented the couple from attempting to find and christen the magical eighty cupboards at Hogwarts. Hufflepuff legend had it that if you kissed your partner in all eighty cupboards then it was true love and you would remain together forever.

Hermione had once entertained the notion of seeing if she and Harry could find all eighty cupboards but she couldn't figure a way to get Harry to go along with it at the time. _I would settle for Harry and just a single cupboard right now_ , she mused longingly. "If you get to seventy-nine let me know," the Headgirl told the couple only to be answered with quizzical looks. "I think I may know where the eightieth one is," she explained.

Jessy jumped up and hugged the Head Girl tightly. "Oh, that would be ever so smashing!" Jessy exclaimed. "Janice and Ernie have not stopped going on about how they have found seventy-nine. They insist that the rest of us are too young and so much less mature than they are because we haven't discovered as many yet!"

"It would be grand to one-up them," Bradley admitted. "Half the House is brassed off with them because they won't shut up about it."

"Well, plenty of time after the hols to catch up and pass them," Hermione offered encouragingly. While she wasn't usually one to encourage underage hormonal behavior, a bit of snogging wasn't so terrible she found herself thinking. _Especially if it involves a bespectacled dark-haired, green-eyed wizard that I can't stop thinking about!_ Hermione wished them all a good holidays and excused herself to complete her rounds.

The train ride had never seemed so long before as it did that day. Eventually, amongst the gathering twilight, the Hogwarts Express pulled into King's Cross station. The students, filled with the excitement of being out of school and home once again, poured forth from the carriage doors to rush to meet their waiting families. For a while, chaos and pandemonium reigned supreme upon the platform. As students collected their trunks and found their parents the crowds slowly began to thin.

Hermione started at the back of the train and worked her way forward. It was her responsibility to ensure that the train was empty. The Head Boy, Ernie Macmillan, was busy on the platform trying to herd the students and their parents either through the portal or into one of the public floo connections that were available. It was an hour before the train was cleared and the majority of people were gone from the platform.

Ernie stopped by to wish Hermione pleasant holidays before he left with his parents. Shortly there afterward Hermione found herself alone upon the platform. Through correspondence with Harry, they had written numerous letters back and forth over the weeks since Luna had left Hogwarts, he had requested that she remain on the platform and await him. _It is just like him not wanting to cause a commotion with his presence_ , she realized.

Glancing about at the empty platform Hermione could feel the butterflies fluttering about in her stomach. The young witch wasn't worried that Harry had forgotten her, it was Harry after all. She knew that he would never ever forget her and that when he said he would be there, he would. _I'm going to do it! I'm going to tell Harry that I am in love with him_ , she told herself, blushing slightly at the thought of uttering those words to her best friend.

She had, of course, rehearsed telling him over and over again in her head as well as writing it down on parchment. She knew exactly what she wanted to say to him. It had taken her over a dozen revisions, but she had the perfect words memorized, each chosen to convey exactly what she was feeling in her heart. She hoped that he would see just how much he meant to her and that by the end of her confession Harry would tell her that he felt the same for her.

"Come here often?" asked a very familiar and much longed for voice behind her, breaking her from her thoughts.

"I'm sorry, Sir, but I am expecting a very powerful wizard at any moment now who will whisk me away to his private home," Hermione replied without turning about as a broad smile spread across her face. "I doubt very much that he will take kindly to you chatting me up."

"He seems like a bit of an insensitive lout for keeping such a beautiful witch waiting for him," the voice replied. "Perhaps I should just steal his lady away from him to show him the error of his ways?"

Hermione could feel her cheeks flaming at being called beautiful. The playful banter was so unlike the Harry she knew yet she found herself thrilled by it. "I fear I shall have to disappoint you for I am quite taken with him," she confessed. "Your efforts to persuade me away would be in vain, good Sir."

"Who is this mysterious wizard that has so captivated your heart and foiled my plans the sweep you off your feet?" the voice inquired.

Hermione almost laughed aloud at the disappointment dripping from Harry's words. "Why that would be Harry Potter of course," she replied in faux seriousness which echoed heavily with a humorous tone.

"The-Boy-Who-Lived? The Chosen One? The Vanquisher of Voldemort? Well, I guess there is no competing with such a fine example of a wizard, now is there. I shall leave, forever broken hearted by your rejection," the man stated, his tone full of dramatic despair.

Hermione could take it no longer and spun about before launching herself into Harry's waiting arms. "Harry!" she exclaimed loudly upon being picked up and twirled about by the wizard holding her. The young woman found herself laughing, happy just to be in his arms as he spun about a second time before gently setting her down. Before she knew it, her lips were on Harry's, and all her well-rehearsed words were for naught as her hands were lost in his hair.

For once she didn't stop to think. She didn't overanalyze what was happening. Hermione languished in the feel of his arms about her, pulling her tightly against his body. Harry Potter, her best friend ever, was kissing her back just as hungrily as she was kissing him. It was as if all her dreams were come true. Hermione didn't know how long their kiss lasted as time ceased to exist. It was as if that one moment where their lips melded into one another's, stretched on spellbound into infinity.

Harry slowly broke the kiss as if awakening from his own dream. The last thing he had thought would happen when he arrived to pick up Hermione was that she would kiss him. "I think I'll pick you up from here more often if that is what I get," the thrilled wizard whispered softly, his forehead resting against her. Hermione opened her mouth to say something, but he quickly silenced her by the mere fact that she couldn't speak if his lips were over hers.

Their second kiss was slow, sensual and ever so tender. It left them both far more breathless than their first one had due to the love they both felt and put into the kiss. Harry rested his forehead against Hermione's with his eyes closed. "Just let me enjoy this moment a bit longer," he whispered to the speechless witch. "I've dreamt of kissing you like that for a while now, never believing it could happen," Harry confessed. The admission didn't embarrass Harry as it was simply the truth and the truth was one thing Hermione and he always shared.

"Harry, I…," Hermione started with only to find that she had no clue at all what to say after that. She certainly hadn't planned on kissing Harry upon seeing him. _I was just caught up in the moment_ , she tried to tell herself. Her racing heart told another story though as the kiss had been everything she had hoped for and so much more. Hermione gazed into Harry's eyes and felt that all too familiar swelling warmth in her chest. _I'm in so much trouble_ , she thought, realizing just how much she truly loved this man before her.

"It's a bit overwhelming," Harry supplied for her with a small crooked knowing grin. "We can talk about it later. Once you're settled," he told her as he removed his forehead from hers and looked at Hermione, noting the flushed redness on her face. "I can't wait for you to see the place," he added as he stepped away from her before reaching down and picking up her trunk. "Shall we?" Harry asked as he offered her the crook of his free arm.

Hermione smiled demurely and slipped her hand into the crook of Harry's arm. Harry didn't appear to be upset that she had kissed him. Unless she was completely off, the young woman was certain that he had enjoyed it nearly as much as she had. He had said that he had dreamt of kissing her, had he not? Those two facts gave her high hopes for the talk she wanted to have with Harry concerning their futures. "Harry, you do recall that I have been to Grimmauld Place before, right?" she asked. The wizard just gave her a wide grin before disappiritioning them away.

Hermione gathered her senses after being sucked through a rubber tube, as that was how apparition felt. The young woman slowly looked up and noted that they were standing before the front porch steps of a large manor house. "Where are we, Harry?" she asked even as she admired the structure with its wrap around porches and wide, welcoming stairway leading to the front door.

"Home," Harry answer with a chuckle. "I decided not to live at Grimmauld Place. It is a bit dark and dreary for my tastes," he told her as he led her up the stairs to the front door. "I discovered that I had inherited some land from Sirius and decided to put it to good use," said Harry as he pushed open the front door and gestured for her to enter.

Hermione stepped through the doorway and marveled at the large living space with a dining area just past it. The decor was tasteful if a bit masculine in that wood and leather were in abundance. The furniture did look comfortable, though. "It looks wonderful, Harry," Hermione offered as she glanced back at the man with a smile.

"I rather like it," Harry answer with a roguish grin. "I had a room prepared for you on the second floor. If you don't like it, we can always change it. I want you to be comfortable as this is your home now, `Mione," he told her sincerely.

The duo was interrupted as the fireplace erupted in green flames and out stepped a witch. "What a day!" sighed Bellatrix Lestrange as she drew her wand.

In less time than it took to think it, 10 ¾ inches of Vinewood with a Dragon Heartstring core appeared. " _Stupefy_!" Hermione yelled. The stunner caught Andi in the chest and hurled the witch back into the flames.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I did warn that my posting schedule would change due to work and as you can see it has. I will make every effort to keep the chapters coming at a 1-2 week interval. I'll be away on a trip from the beginning of June to the beginning of July (visiting family in San Diego), but I hope to still be able to get some writing done while there. This chapter is a bit long (longest of this story to date). Hopefully, that helps make up for the delay.
> 
> So we have a bit more of the Tracey arch with a peek into her family life. Her mother reminded me of Cruella Deville (you get a cookie if you know who that is). I'll state here and now that Mary will not be a part of Harry's girls, though she may play interference in her attempt to protect their innocence. Finally, Hermione has made her entrance with stunning effect (pun intended). Let the fireworks begin!
> 
> As always, your reviews are not required, but they are greatly appreciated.
> 
> Kind Regards,
> 
> EJ Daniels
> 
> All characters within this story, unless otherwise stated are the sole property of J. K. Rowling the original writer of the Harry Potter series.


	13. Hermione

**Chapter 13 – Hermione  
. . .**

10 and ¾ inches of Vinewood quivered in the air, the witch's hand that grasped it deathly pale as it trembled. Harry's hastily cast cushioning charm over the entire mouth of the fireplace was the only thing that prevented Andi from tumbling back into the flames and being seriously injured. The stunned witch had slowly slid to the floor in a gangly heap before the massive stone fireplace.

Harry turned back towards Hermione only to see the young woman's eyes wide with fear. The witch's face had drained of all color, and her breath came in short ragged gasps as if it were hard to breathe. The wizard slowly reached out and laid his hand on Hermione's where it grasped her wand. Applying gentle pressure, he slowly forced the wand down till it was pointing at the floor. Hermione's eyes never once wavered as they stared at the crumbled witch upon the floor.

"Winky," Harry spoke softly so as not to startle the witch next to him. There was a soft pop beside him which Hermione didn't even seem to register as she stared, making certain the downed woman didn't get back up. "Can you show Hermione to her rooms please?" Harry asked the elf before she could say anything. "I'll see to Andi," he added, noticing Winky's concerned glance towards the stunned witch on the floor.

"Of course, Master Harry," the small elf answered softly as she stepped forward and took Hermione's free hand in hers. "Right this way, Master Harry's Missy Granger," Winky said to the witch as she led the woman away but not before Harry caught Hermione starting to mumble what sounded a great deal like ' _It can't be_ ' over and over again.

Harry doubted that Hermione even knew what was happening around her at this point as it was clear to him that she was in a state of shock. "Bloody hell! I should have realized that would happen," Harry berated himself softly. He had done the same thing when first meeting Andi after all. "I should have known Hermione would have a reaction to seeing her for the first time!" Harry growled under his breath at his own stupidity.

The angry wizard hastened over to Andi and kneeling down scooped her up into his arms before rising. It was a short trip to the couch where he settled her so she would be comfortable. A quick wave of his wand told him that there were no serious injuries. He had been reading several of the medical books Andi had suggested he add to the library. _Who knew they would come in handy so soon?_ Harry thought silently. He was thankful though for the diagnostic spells he had learned from them.

Harry sat on the edge of the couch next to Andi and pointing his wand at her said, " _Rennervate_." As the witch stirred, Harry laid a gentle restraining hand upon her shoulder to keep her from getting up. "Just lay there for a bit, Andi. You took a pretty nasty hit."

"I feel like the Whomping Willow mistook me for a bludger," Andi said weakly as she raised her hand and placed it upon her ample bosom where it was hurting. The last thing she remembered was stepping from the floo and pulling her wand out to remove the ashes from her clothing. It had been a rather nasty day, and she had been glad to be home.

"Not far from the truth," Harry replied in a tender voice as he reached out and tucked a stray strand of hair behind the witch's ear before cupping her cheek affectionately. "I fear once again you were mistaken for your sister," he informed her, mentally kicking himself once again for allowing something like that to happen when he should have known better.

Andi turned into his touch, her lips leaving a chaste kiss upon the heel of his hand as she enjoyed the warmth of Harry's touch against her cheek. "I take that to mean that Miss Granger is with us?" Upon seeing Harry's short nod, she continued. "I can only imagine that it was rather startling for her to believe she was once again seeing Bella. Is she alright?" Andi asked, concerned for the young witch evident in her tone.

"I don't really know," Harry answered honestly. It didn't surprise Harry that even though Andi was the one attacked she was worried first and foremost for Hermione. _She's always more concerned for others than for herself_. "I asked Winky to take her up to her rooms. I think she might have been in shock or something as she went without any protest and seemed to be in a bit of a daze actually."

"You just let her go like that?" Andi asked in disbelief as her medical professional side made itself known. "She must be half frightened to death," Andi said as she made to get up and check on the girl only to be halted by Harry's hand upon her shoulder.

"I was a bit more worried about you at the time," Harry confessed. "Just lie here a bit and rest."

A warm smile slowly spread across Andi's face at his words as she was deeply touched that he cared so much for her. It was a fact she was still adjusting herself to, having someone care so deeply for her and coming to care for them in return. _If only.._ , she began to think but then hastily cut the thought off before it could continue. The older witch instead reached up and caressed Harry's cheek gently. "You're a good man, Harry. I'm fine. A bit sore, but fine. I suspect though that your friend is not and is in dire need of your presence."

"Are you certain you're alright?" Harry asked only to see Andi's smile widen slightly before she gave a slow nod. "Kreacher," Harry called. "Please stay here with Andi till she is ready to get up," he told the elf once he had appeared. "You stay here for a bit and rest, alright?" Harry instructed Andi.

"Yes, Doctor Potter," Andi offered playfully to show that she was really alright. Her chest felt like she'd been kicked by a hippogriff but other than that she felt surprisingly well. _That might have something to do with the wizard beside me_ , she mused silently relishing Harry touch still. It had been a long time since a man had touched her in both her heart and upon her person. _A girl could get used to his touch,_ she thought before she could stop herself.

Harry eyed her pointedly for a long moment to make certain she would follow his instructions then leaned down and gave her a kiss on the cheek, just barely missing the corner of the woman's mouth and her full lips. "I'll be back to check on you after I see to Hermione," he told Andi as he stood up. "Thank you, Kreacher. Please make certain she rests," Harry said to the elf.

"Kreacher lives to serve the noble House of Black, Young Master," the elf replied respectfully. As Andi was once again a member of the Black family, Harry knew Kreacher would take good care of her. With a parting nod and small smile towards Andi, Harry left the room and headed upstairs to the suite of rooms he had set up for Hermione's stay.

"Hermione?" Harry voiced after knocking lightly on the woman's door. "It's Harry, Hermione. Are you alright?" he asked through the door. There was a long pause with no answer. "Hermione, I'm coming in," he announced before grasping the handle of the door and turning it. The manor belonged to Harry, and so there wasn't a lock on any door that wouldn't open to his touch. Even magic couldn't bar his way if he chose to exert his ownership.

The sitting room was dark when he opened the door, light from the corridor cast a stark tear across the floor. With a touch of silent wandless magic, Harry caused the lights to ignite and illuminate the room only to see that it was empty. Spying the closed bedroom door, Harry crossed to it and repeated the process. "Hermione? It's me, Harry. Are you alright?" he asked only to once again receive no answer. "I'm coming in," he announced after a minute or two had passed. "Don't shoot," he added in a bit of lame muggle levity.

The bedroom was completely dark. Night had fallen outside but even had it not the fact that the heavy curtains were pulled shut would have made it difficult to see inside the room. The light coming from the sitting room did illuminate the room enough to just barely see by. At first, he couldn't locate the witch as she wasn't seated on the bed or at the desk. It was the light sound of words being repeated over and over again that finally led him to her.

Hermione was seated on the floor, wedged into the back corner of the room. The young woman had her left arm cradled to her chest protectively as she held her other arm out before her with her wand clasped so tightly in her hand that the knuckles shown white even in the dim lighting. Her eyes were larger than normal, their whites showing all around the centers as she stared at the doorway Harry had entered through. The young witch seemed to be mumbling "It can't be," over and over again as if the words would be made true by the sheer force of her will alone.

"Easy there, `Mione," Harry said as he slowly approached, his hands out before him to show that he was unarmed. "Mind if I join you?" he enquired once he was within a few feet. Seeing as no answer was forthcoming Harry slowly sank to his knees and then crawled over, finally taking a seat to the right of Hermione, his shoulder touching hers.

The two sat in near silence, save for the constant mantra Hermione was mumbling to herself, for several minutes. After a bit, it seemed that Harry's presence registered with the distraught witch. "It can't be," Hermione stated in a louder tone. "Molly killed her. I was there! I saw it! It can't be her!" she said in near hysteria.

"It's alright," Harry tried to assure Hermione. "It isn't her, Hermione. That was Dora's mum, Andi. Bellatrix Lestrange died at the Battle of Hogwarts back in May. I saw her body. She is truly good and dead," Harry affirmed. He was all too familiar with the horrors the war had brought upon everyone, arguably none more so than the witch seated beside him. Bellatrix Lestrange had carved the name _mudblood_ into Hermione's arm while torturing her for amusement. To this day the witch only wore long-sleeved shirts to hide the scars which couldn't be removed.

Slowly his words seemed to reach the frightened witch whose head turned to regard him. It was with a slightly surprised, slightly confused, expression that she regarded him. "Harry?" It was readily apparent from her tone that she wasn't exactly certain what was going on or even where she was at. Harry could see his best friend replaying recent events in her mind. "Bellatrix!" Hermione exclaimed, the grip on her wand tightening once more as her eyes snapped towards the open door even as she pushed into Harry's side as if seeking his protection.

"It wasn't her," Harry reiterated, slipping his arms around Hermione and pulling her into his lap. "I got you," Harry said softly as he tightened his arms around the trembling witch and held her. "I won't let anyone or anything harm you, Hermione," Harry told her even as the woman in his arms broke down into tears. It was with a passing thought that he realized he had now held half the witches in his house crying in his arms.

It was some time before the pent up tears slowed to a trickle and Hermione's body ceased to tremble. "Care to tell me about it?" Harry asked softly. It was a long minute or two before Hermione started to speak but once she did the floodgates seemed to open, and it came pouring out of her. Bellatrix had tortured her under the Cruciatus curse for what seemed like days in an attempt to gain information about the Order's plans. Once the witch was certain she hadn't known anything, her methods turned towards amusement rather than information extraction.

"She said that I wasn't fit to be a witch, accusing me of having stolen my magic from some Pure-blood witch. She called me a filthy mudblood and that all the world should know," Hermione recounted, snuggling into Harry's embrace a bit more as the words poured forth from her lips. "She drew forth a blade from her robes. It was as black as obsidian. I can clearly recall the candlelight flickering across the blade's edge," she said, as a tremor ran through her body at the memory of it.

"She…she knocked me to the floor and stuck me there with a sticky charm," Hermione said in a voice that shook with emotions. "She said that she didn't want to use a full body bind curse on me as she wanted to hear me scream. Oh how I screamed," she admitted as her eyes gazed at the floor seeing nothing but the distant memory of that day.

"When she started to carve the word into my arm, I thought it would burn, but it didn't. It was ice cold," Hermione recalled. "I could feel the frigid coldness of the blade seeping into my body, into my very bones and it hurt! It hurt nearly as bad as the torture curse but in a different way. All I could do was lay there and scream as I thrashed about trying to get as far away from that blade as possible! I've never felt so helpless before," she admitted as the tears once again started running down her face.

"You're safe now," Harry softly cooed to the witch in his lap as his hand ran back and forth along her back in what he hoped was a reassuring manner. Hermione sat up and looked at him, a faint glimmer of light on her cheeks showed him that she was still crying. Leaning slowly forward to allow her time to pull away if she wanted, he captured her lips in a gentle kiss that tasted of tears.

Harry wanted her to know that everything she had told him hadn't changed how he felt about her. That he still cared and loved her just as before. It wasn't a long kiss as kisses go. However, it was meaningful one as it conveyed his feelings to the woman in his lap. At least that was what he hoped. It must have worked as Hermione was kissing him back. When the kiss ended she even rested her forehead against his. Harry swallowed heavily before voicing his request, "Show it to me."

It took the bright witch a moment or two to realize what he was asking. Hermione lurched away from him, slipping from his lap and dropping onto the floor. The witch back peddled till she ran into the side of the bed where she clutched her left arm to her chest. "No! It's hideous," she exclaimed. "I don't want anyone to ever see it! I'm ugly," she told him emotionally.

"You are beautiful, Hermione," Harry told her honestly. "Nothing that bitch of a witch did to you will ever change that," he added as he climbed to his feet and moved in her direction. "Show me," he stated again.

Hermione climbed up onto the bed at Harry's approach, shielding her scarred arm from him at the same time. She vividly recalled the horrified looks that had appeared on her parent's faces when she had shown them her arm in Australia. If her own parents were horrified at her appearance then what could she expect from her best friend? _I love Harry. If he were to look at me that way it would just break my heart_ , she told herself. "It's repulsive," she reiterated to the wizard. "How can you even look at me?"

"I can look at you because you're beautiful, Hermione," Harry answered as he took a seat on the edge of the large bed. The young wizard made no effort to close the distance between them further than that. Something inside told him that Hermione would need to be the one to do that. "You've always been beautiful to me. At least once I realized you were a girl," he added, a small crooked smile tugging at his lips. "Show me. Please," he asked once again.

"I can't. I don't want you to see it," Hermione replied from the other edge of the bed. The young, insecure witch was afraid that if Harry did see the gruesome reminder of that day that he would want nothing to do with her. A small part of her brain told her that was rubbish and that Harry could never be so shallow but her insecurities weren't listening at the moment, and they were firmly in control. "You don't know what it is like to have such a ghastly reminder of what she did to me that day!"

Harry sighed heavily before replying in a relaxed tone. "No, you're right," he told her before reaching up and pulling back his bangs to reveal his famous lightning bolt scar. "I have this instead to remind me of the day my parents died, and I didn't," he stated rather mater-of-factly. "I have scars aplenty to remind me that I survived when so many others that should have did not. Does that mean that you think I am ugly as well?"

"Oh, Harry!" Hermione exclaimed as she realized just how inconsiderate her words had been. "No, of course not," she decried as she crossed the distance between them and enveloped the man in a bone breaking hug. "Your scar was never your fault, Harry. You are a very dashing wizard, with or without the scar. It has never bothered me in the least!"

"Nor will yours bother me, Hermione. It wasn't your fault that you got it. To hide away and feel disgusted by it only gives credence to everything that bitch of a witch said," Harry told her. "You are a first generation witch. That's something to be proud of. Your children will be witches and wizards and go on to do great things for our world if they are anything like you. Show me that you're still the Hermione I know and love. The witch who confronts any challenge head on. The girl you punched out Draco Malfoy in our third year!"

A small smile slipped onto Hermione's face at that memory. "That did feel good at the time," she confessed. The logical portion of Hermione's brain kicked in as she weighed Harry's words. She couldn't deny that if she did continue on in such a manner, then Bellatrix had assuredly won and not by anything the dead witch had done. No, instead the Black daughter would have won simply because Hermione herself had allowed it.

_I am proud of being a wit_ ch, she told herself. _I am a damn good one too!_ The thought of her children being witches and wizards inadvertently led her to think about her future and the hope that it would be with the man she was holding. _If Harry does love me and we are together he will see it eventually_ , she contemplated, thinking of the large scar on her left forearm. _If things go well he's likely to see a great deal more of me than that_ , she realized with a slight blush.

Harry felt the woman in his arm stir and slip from his hug. The young wizard watched as Hermione seated herself next to him before hesitantly reaching for the sleeve of her shirt. His best friend pulled her sleeve up and exposed the scarred flesh of her arm to him for the first time. In the dim lighting which shown through the open doorway, he could just make out the letters carved into the alabaster skin. Taking the arm in his hands, Harry leaned down and gently applied a kiss to each letter.

Hermione stiffened as Harry's lips first touched her skin. Whatever she had expected it certainly hadn't been that he would kiss the scars on her arm. The tender touch of his lips and the gentle manner in which he held her arm, almost as if it were the most precious thing in the world to him, had the young witch misty eyed once again. With each subsequent kiss, her heart melted just a little bit more. As the wizard sat back up, a thought occurred to her. "So you realized I was a girl, huh?" she asked with a teasing smile to hold back the tears.

"Most certainly," Harry confirmed with a small, shy smile. He could still recall exactly when to this day. It had been third-year. They were both astride Buckbeak, Hermione tucked up tightly behind him with her arms wrapped around his waist. The feel of her chest pressing into his back left out any doubt that she was anything other than a girl. The ride, while amazing, had been rather uncomfortable for reasons that had nothing to do with the hippogriff they were on and everything to do with the direction of his blood flow at the time.

"Care to make certain of that fact?" Hermione asked coyly, needing to know that he still liked her and didn't find her repulsive after having seen her scars. Granted there was also a part of her that just wanted to snog him senseless as well. She had to admit that a soft, comfortable bed was far better than a Hogwarts broom cupboard.

"Most certainly," Harry repeated in a rather husky voice just before he leaned in and captured her lips with his own. The two of them reclined back onto the bed, all thoughts of scars and hippogriffs gone from their heads, replaced by hungry lips and wandering hands. The two pulled apart after some time, both near gasping for air, lips swollen but with wide grins on their faces.

"I was right," Hermione breathed out. "You are a good kisser," she added, rather pleased that she now knew firsthand of that fact.

"Must be the company I'm in," Harry quipped back playfully, waiting for his own toes to uncurl. They lay snuggled in each other's arms for a bit before Harry voiced the one question that was still nagging at him. "Ron?"

A heavy sigh escaped Hermione's lips, brushing across Harry's chest where her head lay. "The git hasn't written me once since he started Auror training," she told Harry. Hermione had thought that there was something between her and their ginger friend. She hadn't entertained any thoughts of her and Harry ever being an item. _I'm not the kind of girl the hero rides off into the sunset with_ , she had always told herself. The hero's best friend was another story and one that was within reach as she saw it. _I guess I was wrong_.

The hurt Ron's thoughtless actions caused was clear to hear in Hermione's voice. _She still has feelings for him_ , Harry surmised. _I guess I can't expect her to forget about him overnight._ They had been friends, the three of them, for many years now. Harry often hated the way that Ron treated Hermione, privately feeling he could do a much better job of caring for the witch. When Harry realized that Hermione fancied Ron over him, he had held his tongue and did his best to help the two of them.

"We should probably go down to dinner," Harry final said, not really knowing what to say about Ron. While Ron was his friend, he was in love with Hermione which left him in a rather difficult situation. "I'm sure Andi and the others are waiting for us."

Hermione cringed at the thought of facing Mrs. Tonks after what she had done. Being lost in her own thoughts, Hermione didn't even register the fact that Harry had said that there would be others there as well. She could still feel Harry's lips on hers and the feeling of his hands as they had roamed across her body while they kissed. It was a feeling she wanted to experience again and again, _preferably sooner rather than later_ , she admitted to herself, feeling her nether regions still tingling deliciously.

"Let me get cleaned up a bit and changed out of these school robes first, Harry," she said as she sat up and scooted to the edge of the bed. The wizard beside her did the same before standing and slipping from the room. It wasn't long before the witch emerged from the bedroom in a pair of muggle jeans, a comfortable shirt with a light long-sleeved sweater and sensible shoes. "Ready," she said upon stepping into the sitting room.

Harry smiled, upon seeing the woman who was his best friend. It was obvious that she had taken the time to wash her face as there were no signs, save for a slight reddening about her eyes, that she had been crying just a short time ago. Harry liked seeing her in Muggle clothing and didn't hesitate in telling her so. "You look beautiful," he stated as he offered the now blushing witch his arm, "Shall we?"

"Most certainly," she answered, echoing his words from earlier, as she slipped her hand into the crook of his elbow. They left Hermione's rooms and headed down the hallway towards the stairs. Hermione was glad Harry was there as she hadn't a clue as to where to go. She had been a bit out of it when Winky had led her to her rooms after all. "I feel so awful for what I did to Mrs. Tonks," Hermione confessed. "Is she alright?"

"She's fine," Harry assured her. "I made certain she was lying down and resting before I left her. Kreacher is staying with her should she need anything." Harry was only partially surprised to see that they were the first to arrive for dinner till he saw Winky pop away to inform the others that it was time to eat. Harry pulled out the chair to the right of his for Hermione, gently pushing it in once she was seated. "I'm sure the others will be here momentarily," he said as he took his own seat.

Meals at Westfield were rather informal with breakfast being served on the sideboard. Those eating were expected to serve themselves. Lunch would see an array of sandwiches spread upon the table with an assortment of fruits, cheeses, and crackers. Dinner would see the food magically appearing on the table much in the same fashion it did at Hogwarts.

Luna was the first to appear and made a beeline for her friend, enveloping Hermione in a hug that would have done Molly Weasley proud. "Hermione!" the bright witch exclaimed. "I'm so glad Harry finally brought you here. I've missed you," Luna declared. "While Daphne and Tracey are fine to chat with, they do tend to stay rather to themselves. Mary is always more concerned about what is proper and all, rather hard to carry on a conversation with actually. Now I have someone I can share a bit of girl talk with as well!"

"Who?" Hermione asked. As far as she had known it was just Mrs. Tonks, Teddy, Luna, and Harry staying at the wizard's home. Hermione turned to regard Harry with a questioning look.

"Those would be my other house guests," Harry admitted a bit nervously, only realizing at that moment that he had never mentioned them to Hermione in any of his letters. The man shrugged it away as being unimportant as he was telling her now. "I guess I must have overlooked informing you about them."

"Apparently so," Hermione replied evenly as Luna slipped into the seat next to Hermione and watched the exchange with amusement.

"Daphne Greengrass, you recall her from school?" he asked, only to see the witch's eyes narrow. Hermione all too clearly recalled the beautiful witch that all the males had been drooling over like teething babies since third-year. "Well, she needed a place to stay as she was out on the street, so I offered to put her up for a bit," Harry continued with a slight shrug, suddenly feeling guilty though he hadn't a clue as to why.

"She asked that her best friend, Tracey Davis, be allowed to visit. Tracey was also in our year," Harry added. Hermione remembered the quiet, shy introverted girl only because they had shared several classes. "She stayed for a while and finally just moved in," Harry told her, feeling a bit warm under the collar. "After Luna joined us well I decided the girls should probably finish their N.E.W.T.'s-"

"Which is why he hired me," Mary Macdonald said from the doorway. "Mary Macdonald," the older witch introduced herself to Hermione on the way to her seat. "Mr. Potter has been kind enough to allow me to live here while I am teaching the young women residing in his home."

"Miss Macdonald went to school with my mum!" Harry blurted out in his excitement to share the fact with his best friend. "She has the most wonderful stories about mum and dad! Mary has been telling me all about their time at Hogwarts!"

"Lily Potter was my best friend," Marry confirmed. "We shared a dorm room and all. I had front row center seats for the courtship between her and James," Mary told Hermione with a wistful smile. "Even back then the two of them were a legend. Lily for saying no to the wizard all the girls fancied and James for the group of hooligans he ran around with. When the two of them finally got together is was the stuff of fairytales."

Hermione turned and saw the rapt fixation Harry had upon his face as he drank up every word the older witch uttered regarding his parents and she was happy for him. The fact that he had apparently been busy filling his house with other witches, however, did not sit so well with her. Daphne Greengrass was a beauty in anyone's book. Tracey, given a bit of work, would be pretty as well. Maybe not in the same manner as Daphne but certainly in that hometown girl sort of way. Luna was just plain cuteness personified, especially when she smiled. Hermione didn't see how she could compete.

"It is a pleasure to meet you, Miss Macdonald," Hermione offered with a small smile. "So you are a professor then?"

"Professor, Teacher, Instructor, it's all the same," Mary answered with a wave of her hand as she took her seat to the right of Andi's place at the table. I have been teaching at Salem for a number of years after completing my higher educational requirements, Miss Granger. As England is once again in the hands of sane witches and wizards, I felt it was time to return home. I hear tell that you're Head Girl this year. Mr. Potter is rather vocal in his praise of you," Mary clarified upon seeing the surprised look on the young woman's face.

"Please call me, Hermione," the blushing witch offered. "Headmistress McGonagall was kind enough to allow those of us who missed our seventh year due to the war to return this year and sit our N.E.W.T.'s. As there are far fewer students this year around, she asked that I handle the Head Girl duties."

"Not like you didn't deserve it, Granger," Daphne said from the doorway as she entered with Tracey beside her. "Everyone in our year knew that you would be Head Girl. You were far more apt to follow the rules and have good grades than anyone else," she added as she walked over to the seat to the left of Harry. The wizard stood and pulled out the chair for Daphne and then did the same for Tracey before returning to his own seat.

"I don't think there was anyone else in our year that wanted it as bad as you," Tracey quipped in with. "Personally I wouldn't want it. There would already be far too much pressure with our N.E.W.T.'s to want to add to it. Besides, I was fairly certain that I wouldn't be there for our final year regardless." Seeing questioning looks around the table, the auburn-haired witch explained. "My mum was certain to wed me off just as soon as she could. I'm actually surprised that she hasn't already."

Harry only just managed to keep his expression schooled to hide his anger as he recalled his previous discussion with the Davis Matriarch. "Yes, well…I'm rather glad she didn't," he forced out past his lips, earning him a shy smile from the former Slytherin. Whatever else he was going to say died on his lips as Andi walked into the room. Hermione, perhaps sensing who had arrived, hastily dropped her eyes to her hands in her lap, feeling both guilty as well as embarrassed due to what she had done.

The sight of the older witch literally stole Harry's breath away. The dress she wore was the usual Wizarding one, though it was of a light pastel blue in coloring with white lace over the witch's ample bosom. The white lace seemed to enhance rather than detract from the woman's assets, hinting at what lay beneath as it were. Contrary to Wizarding custom, where woman covered just about everything, Andi's dress bore no sleeves, leaving her long shapely alabaster arms bare. Harry recognized the dress as the one the witch had on earlier only it had been drastically altered.

Perhaps more shocking than the witch's dress was the woman herself. Cosmetics had been applied artfully to accentuate Andi's delicate cheekbones, while a lite layer of blush brought out the coloring in her cheeks. A pale shade of lipstick adorned her lips tastefully, showing off their fullness. The most startling change of all though was her hair. Gone were the long black locks that were so reminiscent of her sister Bellatrix. Instead, Andi sported a short pixie hairstyle that showed off the bare nape of her neck. The witch looked ten years younger, and Harry thought she had never looked more beautiful.

The first inclination Hermione had that there was someone standing beside her was the appearance of a blue dress in her peripheral vision. The room had gone completely silent upon the older witch's entry. Hermione didn't know, but it was the shock of Andi's new appearance that had stolen all their voices away and not the pending confrontation between the two witches.

_What do I say to her?_ Hermione thought furiously. _I have to apologize and just hope that she won't hate me as we'll apparently be living under the same roof for a time._ The young witch looked up and opened her mouth to speak only to suddenly find her arms full of a squealing, squirming toddler.

Teddy was quick to reach out and grasp two handfuls of hair. "Mine!" the boy declared loudly before trying to fit one hand into his mouth, hair and all. The resulting face the child made had the witch holding him grinning.

"Hello, Sir," Hermione said cooingly as her demeanor did an abrupt change. "You must be Teddy, whom I've heard so much about from your godfather. He didn't tell me how handsome you were." Further words were lost as Teddy's featured slowly morphed till they resembled Hermione's. "He's just like his mum!" Hermione gasped.

"You didn't tell her?" Andi asked in a reproachful tone as her gaze shifted to Harry. She had figured that Hermione would be feeling rather miserable due to what had happened. The older witch had learned through the years that sometimes the cure for such an ailment was a distraction. _There's nothing more distracting than a baby that can alter how he looks_ , she had mused. "Yes, your godson has inherited Dora's Metamorphic abilities," Andi answered as her gaze returned to the witch holding her grandson.

"It slipped my mind," Harry mumbled under his breath a bit defensively. _I've been rather busy the last few months_ , he wisely whined to himself, so the ladies didn't hear.

"Seems there have been a number of things I haven't been told," Hermione stated, matching Andi's reproachful tone almost perfectly. The young witch looked up at Andi with an apologetic face. "Mrs. Tonks I am ever so…wait what did you say? My godson?" Hermione stammered.

"It's alright, Miss Granger," Andi replied with a warm smile as she rested a hand on the seated witch's shoulder in a comforting manner. "I know you thought it was my sister that stepped from the fire rather than me. You're not the first to make that mistake," she confided with a quick glance in Harry's direction, causing the wizard to squirm nearly as much as Teddy was doing in Hermione's lap.

"I trust that my new appearance will prevent the same thing from happening again?" Andi asked as she raised a self-conscious hand to touch the short hairs behind her ear. Hermione was quick to nod her assurance. "As I told a certain wizard we mutually know," Andi continued with, once again glancing towards Harry, "I'm not as spry as I once was so dodging spells is a bit more difficult these days."

"I am so sorry for what happened, Mrs. Tonks," Hermione confessed. "I didn't even realize what I was doing."

"It's Andi," the older witch corrected her. "I feel old enough as it is with all you young attractive women here, without a ' _Mrs. Tonks_ ' to remind me of my age. To answer your previous question, Dora named you as Teddy's godmother in her final will," Andi explained. "I would have thought Harry would have informed you of this already as he's known for some time." Both witches turned at the same time to spear the squirming wizard with piercing glares.

"Yes…, well…., I was going to tell her when she arrived," Harry stammered, wilting under their combined gazes, "but things got rather complicated before I could." The other three witches present looked on but remained silently. It hadn't taken them long to hear of what had befallen Andi at the point of Hermione's wand. Daphne had discovered the resting witch on the couch and had asked what had happened, which was how Tracey had found out. Luna just seemed to know somehow, perhaps it was the Nargles keeping her well informed.

"He does have a point," Andi deadpanned. "Perhaps we should forgive him?"

"Perhaps," Hermione echoed just before the two of them shifted their gaze away from the wizard. Harry heaved a silent sigh of relief. "Hello, Teddy. I'm your godmother, Hermione," she said to Teddy, whose hair was a bushy brown now.

Eyes that were twins to her own stared back at her before a big smile broke out on the child's face. "Mine!" Teddy declared once again just to be certain everyone knew that the witch was his personal property. Andi recalled him doing much the same thing upon first meeting Harry.

"Yes, well I'm certain everyone is famished by now," Andi said apologetically as she extracted Teddy from Hermione's arms. She needed Hermione's help as Teddy seemed set on not letting go of the witch's hair anytime soon. Finally free, Andi deposited the toddler into the high chair next to her seat at the table. Normally Luna sat next to her, and they took turns tending to Teddy, but the petite witch had shifted over a seat so that she was sitting next to Hermione tonight.

As soon as Andi seated herself the food appeared. Dinner followed with each of them talking about their day. Andi had a rather busy day at St. Mungo's, nothing unusual in that. Hermione talked about the ride on the Hogwarts Express and then had to explain about the eighty cupboards legend that the Hufflepuffs believed in. Hermione proved very interested when Andi recanted, much to Harry's embarrassment, the tale of their trip you the woman's lingerie story and how Harry had fled in terror.

"So, Andi," Daphne opened with when there was a lull in the conversation, "I hear it was a rather warm day for you today?"

"A real scorcher," Tracey quipped in with.

Hermione, certain they were talking about her attack on Andi earlier and the fact that she had come close to nearly injuring the witch, felt her cheeks heat in embarrassment. If it hadn't been for Harry's quick intervention, Andi would have tumbled back into the flames. All the heat references had to be about that, she was certain of it. The young witch hung her head in shame. The fact that Harry joined in only made it worse.

"She did look a little well done when she arrived home," Harry offered with a crooked grin, realizing just what Daphne was doing. A little humor would go a long way towards seeing Hermione being able to let the incident go.

"Roasted, no doubt," the petite Ravenclaw stated.

"Fricasseed," Mary posed so as not to be left out once she had cottoned on to just what was happening.

Hermione's embarrassment turned to puzzlement wondering just what was going on. All the cooking references had the young woman confused. _They certainly don't sound malicious_ , she thought.

"Braised, even," Daphne supplied when it was her turn.

"Broiled, perhaps?" Tracey asked with a trace of a giggle.

"Seared?" Harry inquired with an arched brow.

"Her goose was surely cooked," Luna offered helpfully.

It was Andi herself though that finally had them all tittering, even Hermione. "Flambéed is the term you're looking for, I think," she offered.

Hermione broke out into a chuckle as she raised her hands in surrender. "Alright. I get it," she confessed, feeling her previous embarrassment leaving her. "I nearly charcoaled Andi."

Daphne's brow creased in puzzlement as she was unfamiliar with the Muggle term. "She's not very good at this is she?" she said aside to Harry but loud enough so that everyone could hear her.

"She'll get better," Harry replied with a wide grin as he stared at the affronted witch to his right. The tension relieved, conversation once again returned to idle chatter. Harry sat back and sipped his drink as his eyes slipped around the table. A slow smile spread across his face as he realized that life, while hectic and not what he had expected it to be, was far better than it ever had been before. No one was attempting to kill him, and he had a table full of beautiful, intelligent witches he cared about a great deal. Life was good!

**-oOo-**

Harry stared at the letter he had found awaiting him upon returning to his rooms after dinner.

_Mr. Potter,_

_I am once again back in London. I have set an appointment at Gringotts for 9 o`clock in the morning for us to meet. I will bring Daphne's wand with me so that we might work out a suitable arrangement. I trust that House Black has been caring for her in my absence and that she is in good health._

_Respectfully,  
Gerald Greengrass_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As I was threatened with torches and pitchforks if I didn't post a new chapter soon after leaving you with that last cliffy, I figured I better get this done. Luckily the Muse agreed with me. I would have had it done sooner, but I was stuck in the kitchen baking an unseemly amount of cookies. Still, a day early isn't too bad. I am hoping to get one more chapter out before my trip kicks off. It is a working trip (work during the day play at night and weekends) which will make writing a bit more difficult so please bear with and don't forget about the story.
> 
> I wanted a very Hermione centric chapter in order to bring her into the group. She's been more or less hanging out on the fringes as we were introduced to the other witches, making cameo appearances now and then. I'm not sure if the scars on her arm were healed in the books\movies or not but for this story, it fit better if they weren't. Just roll with it, please. If all goes according to plan then next chapter we should find out about Black Manor and Harry's other project. Hope you enjoyed the chapter. Drop me a review to let me know how I did please.
> 
> As always, your reviews are not required, but they are greatly appreciated.
> 
> Kind Regards,
> 
> EJ Daniels
> 
> All characters within this story, unless otherwise stated are the sole property of J. K. Rowling the original writer of the Harry Potter series.


	14. Good Deeds

**Chapter 14 – Good Deeds  
. . .**

Hermione Jane Granger was not a happy witch as she paced back and forth within her sitting room. She had looked forward to being alone with Harry for some time now only to arrive at Westfield to discover that was going to be a bit more difficult than she had initially thought. The young woman had been waiting since before All Hallow's Eve to tell Harry how she felt about him.

The young witch still couldn't believe that the first thing she had done upon arriving at Harry's home was attack Andi promptly followed by breaking down and crying. What happened was made only marginally better by the fact that Harry had held her as she cried. The fact that they'd had a rather nice, if too short, snog afterward was a pleasant surprise. She had hoped to repeat their snogging sooner rather than later. Now, however, she wasn't so certain if that was a good idea or not.

The astute witch couldn't help but notice the byplay between her Harry and the other witches at Westfield. It was that very fact that had the Gryffindor in a tizzy of a mood and unable to sleep. _Who knew that Daphne could be such a flirt_ , she thought as she paced. In school the blonde witch had been rather distant, showing little interest in the males of any year. Instead, the Slytherin witch had spent all her time with her best friend, Tracey. Hermione had heard some rumors that indicated that the two might even be a bit more than just best friends.

In what Hermione could only call a complete change of character, Daphne had seemed to focus all her attention directly on Harry almost to the exclusion of even Tracey. Several times the beautiful witch had reached out and touched Harry's hand, all apparently innocently of course, but Hermione knew differently. It was a clear indication of Daphne saying that Harry belonged to her and her alone. Every touch had drawn Harry's attention back towards the former Slytherin witch and away from the others. _A clever ploy_ , Hermione grudgingly admitted. With each touch, it had felt as though there was a caged beast inside Hermione's chest trying to claw its way out.

The changes in Tracey Davis were startling, to say the least. Hermione had known the auburn-haired witch to be reserved, keeping mostly to herself, especially after fifth-year. She had shared Runes and Arithmancy classes with the bright girl since third-year. Hermione had little doubt that something had transpired in their fifth year as Tracey had changed, becoming withdrawn and pretty much attached to Daphne's hip, who also sat those classes. Hermione, not one to judge, had silently wished them well and hoped they were happy together.

The Tracey Davis she had seen at the dinner table was not the same witch she had gone to school with the past several years. Tracey had joined in the conversation readily enough, something unheard of before. The witch had also changed her appearance and not just with the muggle clothing she was wearing. Her hair had been done, and cosmetics had been applied as if she were trying to impress someone. The shy smile she had sported every time Harry had spoken to her left little doubt in Hermione's mind just who that someone was.

Luna had been all smiles as she engaged Hermione in conversation and asked about school and classes. The Gryffindor witch though hadn't missed the glances in Harry's direction nor the blush they brought to the former Ravenclaw's cheeks each time. Hermione could only hope that Luna had a touch of hero worship as Harry had taken her in after her father's passing and had cared for her. The insecure woman, at least where Harry was concerned, really didn't want to contemplate that the cute petite witch's feelings could be anything deeper than that as Luna was a dear friend and she had far too few of those to want to lose one.

"How could this have happened?" Hermione asked herself as she continued to pace back and forth. "Did I wait too long to tell Harry how I feel?" It was clear to Hermione that at least three of the witches at Westfield had feelings for Harry. "Better make that four," she mumbled, thinking of herself. Unless she was mistaken, Harry seemed rather oblivious to the witches circling him just waiting for the right moment to pounce. _Then again, I could be wrong_ , she speculated. _Perhaps this is why he never told me that Tracey and Daphne were living here as well. Maybe he has feelings for one of them already?_

Andi and Mary thankfully didn't seem to have a clue as to what was happening right before their eyes at the table. _Well, Andi at least_ , Hermione thought, recalling the disapproving glares that Mary repeatedly sent towards Harry whenever he became flirtatious with one of the witches. For that matter, w _hen did Harry become such a flirt?_ Andi had been rather occupied with seeing to Teddy, pausing between each spoonful of food to converse with Mary who was seated to her left.

Hermione stopped in her tracks. "The real question is does Harry care for any of them?" she asked aloud. It was the very question, or rather the lack of an answer to that question, that had kept her awake and unable to sleep. If the answer was yes, then she may have very well lost her chance to be with Harry which was something she really didn't wish to think about. "I have to know!" she decided, abruptly storming from her room and heading for the stairs.

The hour was late, so the hallway was dark. A quick " _Lumos_ " saw the tip of her wand glow and light her way. The determined witch ascended the stairs to the third floor and followed the hallway till she neared the end and found someone standing there. "Kreacher?" the witch asked in a puzzled tone as she approached the elf. Behind Kreacher, she spied a door, one without a door handle upon it.

The aged elf regarded the woman for a long moment before he spoke. "If Missy Granger is here to see the young Master she will have to wait till morning," the Black family elf informed her.

"I don't think this can wait till then, Kreacher," Hermione confessed. "Please let me see Harry."

"Now is not the best time. Young Master is not having a good night," Kreacher replied with a glance towards the door which led up to Harry's floor. "Master asked that none be allowed to disturb him. If Missy Granger would like to leave a message, Kreacher will see that Master is told in the morning."

The last thing Hermione wanted to do was leave her confession to Harry with the old elf. While Harry had written and mentioned on several occasions just how much Kreacher had changed, Hermione couldn't help but recall just how disagreeable the elf had been or how often he had referred to her as ' _the filthy mudblood_ ' while at Grimmauld Place. "Does Harry often have bad nights?" she asked instead, concerned for her best friend.

The old elf's lips pressed tightly together. The fact that Kreacher wouldn't answer the young witch's question told Hermione all she really needed to know. Realizing that she wasn't going to get in to see Harry, she bade the elf goodnight and retraced her steps to her own rooms. It was a very frustrated and tired witch that climbed into her bed and pulled the covers up to her chin. _I hope Harry is alright_ , she thought as she struggled to get to sleep herself.

**-oOo-**

Harry James Potter awoke rather abruptly, feeling far worse than before he had fallen asleep. Judging by the light coming through the window it hadn't been all that long ago when sleep had finally claimed him. The session with Hermione had brought thoughts of the war to the forefront of his mind which had led to nightmares. It wasn't a new occurrence by any means as he often had terrible dreams of those times.

The young wizard, Hero of the war, Vanquisher of Voldemort, Chosen One, dreaded sleep as it brought him little rest. He had adopted a routine of staying up as late as possible reading either in his rooms or in the library. When he could no longer keep his eyes open, he would apparate to his room and fall into his bed for a few hours of troubled sleep. It was only through a very careful regiment of Pepper-Up potions that he managed to get through the day. It was a fact he kept hidden from everyone, including his own elves.

Harry lay in bed and reflected upon those who currently were residing under his roof. The young man didn't know what to do with them all as he had slowly been coming to the realization that he cared for each and every one of them, abet in different ways and to different degrees. This morning's reflection was also nothing new as he did it fairly often. _Now with Hermione here it is only more complicated_ , he mused silently, wondering not for the first time just how he managed to get himself in these types of situations.

As Harry lay there, realizing that his life was perhaps more complicated now than it had been during the war, he felt as though something was slightly off. The young wizard's brow creased as he thought about the odd feeling in an attempt to rout out its cause. _I feel as if someone is watching me almost._ With a resigned sigh, realizing that he wasn't going to be able to go back to sleep, Harry sat up in bed prepared to start his day only to freeze at what he saw.

A multitude of bulbous eyes stared back at him, watching his every move. Harry swallowed heavily, absently pulling the covered up to his chin to cover himself. His entire bedroom was filled wall to wall with house elves of every size and shape. Towards the far corners of the room, the elves were standing on each other's shoulders as there wasn't enough room apparently to fit all of them. Never before had he seen so many large eyes and wiggling ears in one place before. "Good morning," he spoke hesitantly.

"Good morning, Harry Potter, Sir!" the elves all said in unison. It was rather an eerie thing to witness Harry thought. Harry blinked slowly only to see all the elves blink as well. _That's certainly creepy_ , he thought as their blinks had not only been in unison with his but with each other as well.

Slowly reaching towards his nightstand, the wizard retrieved his glasses and slipped them on. The first thing he noticed as the room came clearly into focus was that each and every elf was wearing a toga with the Hogwarts crest over the left breast area. "Winky! Kreacher!" Harry called out. The two house elves popped in at the foot of their Master's bed as there was no place for them upon the floor at the moment. "Care to explain this?" he asked with a nod towards their audience.

Kreacher and Winky looked out over the sea of their kind, though it was only Kreacher that showed any surprise at their presence, a fact Harry readily caught. "Winky?" Harry enquired. "Care to offer an explanation?"

Winky shuffled her feet, shifting about a wrinkle on Harry's bed with one toe in the process. It was apparent to Harry that the she-elf knew exactly what was going on and was rather reluctant to tell her master. "Winky may have visited Hogwarts," she finally offered.

"Why did you visit Hogwarts?" Harry asked. He wasn't overly concerned but rather a bit curious how a visit to Hogwarts could lead to his bedroom being filled with elves wall to wall and floor to rafters as it were. He surmised that his elves had plenty of time to do things other than clean and look after him and the others. What they did in their own time was up to them as he saw it.

The elf being addressed began to nervously wring her hands before her as she answered. "Winky had questions about," the elf paused as she shot a quick glance in Kreacher's direction, "how to proceed. Winky asked other elf who had a child," she explained as she looked about for the means to punish herself.

Harry well knew that look as he had seen it often enough on Dobby's face to realize what Winky's darting eyes meant. "First, there will be no punishing yourself. Do you understand Winky?" Harry asked firmly, only continuing once the elf had nodded in agreement. "How does you seeking advice get me a room full of Hogwarts house elves?"

"Winky may have mentioned, while in the kitchen of Hogwarts, what Master Harry said," Winky answered with lowered eyes.

"What I said?" Harry asked, his brow creasing further in confusion. He failed to see how anything Winky had recounted could have led to the current situation.

Winky gave a slow nod. "Master said that any elf he owned would be free to choose whomever they wanted and have a child whenever they wanted. Master Harry is a great and wonderful wizard to show such kindness to his elves!" Winky stated as she looked up at her Master with wide loving eyes.

Harry suddenly had a sinking feeling in the pit of his stomach. "So they are here to…," his words trailed off.

"...Bond with the great Harry Potter," all the Hogwarts elves stated as one, completing his thought and confirming his fears all at the same time.

"Aren't you already bonded to the Headmistress McGonagall?" Harry asked, hoping he had a way out of yet another potentially complicated situation. All the elves started talking at once which made it impossible for Harry to understand anything they were saying. Holding up his hands for them to stop he pointed at one elf close to his bed. "You, what is your name?"

"Dikky," the young elf answered with a look of utter disbelief that he had been selected to speak. The young elf's eyes nearly glowed with adulation as he stared at Harry much in the same manner Dobby always had whenever Harry had been in the same room. Harry found it just as unsettling now as he had then.

"Now, are you bonded to the Headmistress of Hogwarts or not?" Harry enquired.

"All the elves of Hogwarts are bound to Hogwarts itself, not the Headmistress," Dikky explained in a rush. "It is not a proper bounding as we would have with the great Harry Potter!"

"Thank you, Dikky," Harry replied, causing the elf to start bouncing from foot to foot in his excitement. "I can't bond all of you," Harry said while looking up and out at the hopeful faces before him. "What would Hogwarts do without all of her elves there to take care of the students?" he asked upon seeing the hopeful looks fall from the many faces around him, Kreacher's included. Harry hated to disappoint the elves, but he couldn't see McGonagall being all that thrilled with him if he stole away all the elves from Hogwarts.

"If Master Harry were their Master he could tell them to work at Hogwarts as they have been," Winky offered. Her words suddenly saw all the small heads in the room nodding in agreement. The scene reminded Harry somewhat of a bobblehead collection he had seen in a store once. The fact that they were all nodding in unison just added to the creepy factor and sent a chill down his spine.

_This is all because they want to have children_ , Harry thought to himself as the elves looked on expectantly. He couldn't fault them as he wanted children someday. An image of a small bushy haired little girl on his lap sprang to mind. _Not any time soon, though_ , he thought to himself, quickly banishing the image in his head. His concern though was for Hogwarts and the students there. The elves at the school saw to everything for the staff and students. Winky's suggestion certainly seemed to solve that problem for the foreseeable future.

"If I do this," Harry opened with only to see the multitude of elves begin to bounce from foot to foot in what he had affectionately come to call the ' _Dobby Hop_ ' due to his dear friend always doing it when excited. "If I do this, you cannot tell anyone about it," Harry stated. The last thing he wanted was for people to discover that he had bonded to a large portion of the Hogwarts house elves. _The Prophet would have a field day with that, no doubt_ , he mused. The bobbleheads continued to bobble.

After a quick consultation with Kreacher to ensure he didn't have to bond them one at a time, Harry turned back to the waiting elves. "I, Harry James Potter, offer you hearth, home, and family," he intoned solemnly.

All the elves stated their names, the noise washed over Harry making little sense at all, before they continued with, "Accept Harry James Potter as our Master and the Potter family as our own!"

Harry hadn't needed to bond to Kreacher as he was part of becoming the head of the Black family. When he had bonded to Winky, he hadn't felt anything, at least that he could recall. Bonding to roughly sixty elves at once was another story. It was like an electrical current passed through his entire body leaving him tingling. Suddenly he needed only to look at an elf to know what its name was. It was a byproduct of the magic involved in the bonding.

"All of you are to continue to work at Hogwarts as you have been," Harry told them once he had recovered his senses from the bonding process. "You're not to tell a soul that you have bonded to me," he instructed them before dismissing his new elves back to Hogwarts. There was a quick moment where there were multiple ' _pops_ ' all at once. Harry blinked seeing the room still filled with elves. The confused wizard regarded the elves, slowly realizing that he didn't know any of them.

"These are the rest of the Hogwarts elves," Kreacher offered upon seeing his Master's look of confusion. "They would like to be bonded as well," he explained to Harry. The young wizard groaned as he should have seen this coming. The bonding process was repeated once again before the same instructions were given concerning secrecy.

**-oOo-**

Harry made his way down the stairs and found Hermione waiting for him. Upon seeing his best friend, he realized he would have to find some way of explaining to her just why he had bonded with all the Hogwarts elves. Given the witch's stance on owning elves as well as Hermione being the founder of S.P.E.W., he had no illusion to just how that conversation would go. _Hopefully, the fact that it will allow them to have children will suffice for an excuse_ , he prayed. "Good morning, `Mione," he greeted the pretty witch, offering her a warm smile.

"Hi, Harry," Hermione replied, giving the wizard the once over to make certain he was alright. She had been concerned for him all night and had found it very hard to finally go to sleep. "Sleep well?" she asked innocently.

"As well as usual," Harry replied honestly. "Shall we?" he asked as he offered her his arm to distract her as well as change the subject. The last thing he wanted her to know was that he was having difficulties sleeping at night. Recalling the elves he hastily amended his previous thought, _make that the second to last thing_.

"How gallant of you," Hermione teased, accepting his arm. "When did you become such a gentleman?" she asked with a grin. Despite everything that had happened, she had to admit that she rather liked some of the changes she saw in Harry. The playful banter and flirtatious exchanges he had with her were very refreshing. _The snogging wasn't all that bad either_ , she thought recalling the previous evening on her bed, even as she felt the heat rise in her cheeks. She couldn't help but wonder how far things would have gone if Harry hadn't mentioned their friend, Ron.

"It's hard not to be when with such a beautiful woman," Harry replied, causing the witch on his arm to blush heavily, a fact Harry was happy to notice. The past several months of banter with Daphne saw the wizard able to say such things now without blushing himself. "You deserve to be treated like a lady," he added as they descended the stairs. "Sorry, it has taken me so long to realize that."

"Better later than never," Hermione managed to get out as the tips of her ears turned bright red. _How can you not just love him?_ Hermione mused as her heart skipped several beats. Harry escorted her to her seat, holding out her chair for her and pushing it in. Hermione was completely floored when Harry then leaned in and gave her an affectionate kiss on the cheek. The young witch was too busy blushing to see Harry repeat the process with Luna, Teddy and then Andi. It wasn't until Harry reached the other side of the table that she witnessed him kiss first Tracey and then Daphne good morning too, that she suddenly felt less special than moments before.

"I have a meeting at Gringotts first thing this morning," Harry told them all as he gathered his plate and went and served himself. "Does anyone need anything while I am in Diagon Alley?" the wizard asked before making his way back to the table. The others at the table stated they weren't in need of anything at the moment. The Potter and Black house elves would have seen to any of their needs long before Harry asked.

Hermione was once again surprised when Harry took her empty plate and set the one he had filled before her. The plate was filled with her favorite foods. A single egg, over easy of course. Two pieces of bacon, no bangers for her thank you very much. A small serving of mixed fruit, heavy on the strawberries. Once again Harry made her feel very special as he hadn't personally served any of the other witches seated at the table. "Thank you, Harry," she managed to say before the wizard went to serve himself.

The young wizard offered Hermione a small smile before going and making his own plate up. Breakfast progressed in a fairly normal manner as it did each morning. The addition of Hermione to the table didn't seem to cause much of a stir, which was what Harry had hoped for. Once he had finished eating Harry quickly excused himself so that he wouldn't be late for his appointment with Gerald Greengrass.

Despite knowing pretty much what to expect, Harry found that he was rather nervous. The man's daughter had been living under Harry roof for over three months now. While he had treated Daphne as respectfully as possible, he couldn't help but wonder if her father had illusions as to what may or may not have been happening to his daughter. _The last thing I want is for him to accuse me of inappropriate behavior with Daphne_. Not that the young man hadn't had thoughts along those lines, he just hadn't acted upon them as yet. _Merlin! Thank goodness for cold showers!_

It was a few minutes before nine o`clock when Harry entered Gringotts with Daniel Wright beside him. As the Greengrass Patriarch had mentioned coming to an arrangement, Harry had felt that it would be best to have his solicitor there with him. Bogrod, the Gringotts Floor Manager, quickly escorted the pair to a conference room which had been reserved for the meeting. Upon entering the room, Harry saw that there was a goblin as well as a wizard waiting for them. The wizard introduced himself as Gerald Greengrass but refrained from introducing the goblin.

Daphne's father was a tall man, neither wide nor thin, with dark eyes that missed very little. Harry thought that Daphne must take after her mother as she looked nothing like the man before him. Where Daphne's hair was blonde, Gerald's was a dark brown. The man had brown eyes while Daphne's were blue. The wizard had a strong jaw line which was clean shaven. Daphne's features were more delicate in nature. The head of the Greengrass family stood as Harry and Daniel entered.

"It is a pleasure to finally meet you, Mr. Potter," Gerald Greengrass offered as he extended his hand towards Harry. "My apologies for the short notice of this meeting but it was the only available time I had between now and after the New Year."

"The pleasure is mine, Sir," Harry replied accepting the hand and giving it a firm shake. "Please, just Harry. That's alright. I appreciate you taking the time to see me," Harry countered with, dismissing the man's concerns. "This is my solicitor, Daniel Wright," Harry offered with a gesture towards Daniel.

Gerald and Daniel shook hands quickly. "How is Daphne?" Gerald enquired of Harry as he released Daniel's hand and took his seat once again.

"She is well," Harry assured him as he seated himself with Daniel to his right. "She, along with a few others, are currently working on their N.E.W.T.'s," Harry added. Seeing the man's questioning look, he continued to explain. "There are a few others that have come to stay at my home. Enough so that I felt it would be best to hire an instructor to see to their education. I hope that is alright?"

"It sounds as though you have her best interests in mind," Gerald replied with a disarming smile. "As a father, I couldn't ask for more than that. One day you will have children and realize just how much their happiness means to you, Harry." The wizard quickly realized that if the others staying with Harry still required their N.E.W.T.'s, then they too must be the same age as his daughter.

Harry smiled warmly. "They may not be my daughters, but their happiness means a great deal to me," he replied, meaning all the witches currently residing in his home. Harry still wasn't certain just how that came to be, but it was the truth, their happiness meant everything to him. He truly did care about all of them, and he wanted them to be happy.

"I'm relieved to hear that, Harry," Gerald replied. The fact that Harry referred to all of them as _daughters_ told him that the other occupants were all females as well. "Speaking of Daphne's happiness, I believe we are here to discuss her wand?" the older wizard asked, realizing that there might not be a moment to lose.

"Yes," Harry agreed. "She has been using Tracey's wand for classes but as you can well imagine it is not a match like her own wand would be."

Gerald Greengrass folded his hands before him on the table and regarded Harry for a long moment. "Harry, I am a businessman. A fact I am certain Daphne has mentioned." Seeing the young wizard across the table from him nod he continued. "My daughter's wand represents a rather serious investment. Not just in the cost of the wand itself but also in the cost of the six years she attended Hogwarts. So you see, I cannot just hand the wand over to you. Were you to lose it or withhold it from Daphne, then House Greengrass would be out the cost of her education."

"So what are you proposing then, Sir?" Harry asked with a frown. Having little knowledge of Wizarding customs, he didn't know if this was usually how these matters were handled or not. He didn't like being accused of withholding Daphne's wand, but he could see where that thought might arise. _He doesn't know me any more than I know him_ , Harry mused silently. A quick glance towards his solicitor earned him a slight shrug from Mr. Wright, indicating he didn't know what was going on either.

"House Greengrass would be willing to sell it to you for…," the man paused and regarded the goblin next to him for a long moment, receiving a nod in exchange as if agreeing to some silent communication, "…250 galleons," Gerald finished with as he turned back to Harry."

Daniel Wright frantically racked his brain for any laws that had been passed in the last hundred years that could be enacted by his client purchasing the wand but could think of none. The price alone, despite what the Head of the Greengrass family had said, seemed excessively high to the solicitor. "Perhaps it would be best if my client-"

"Done!" Harry said, earning startled looks from both Daniel and Gerald.

"Really?" Gerald asked before he could stop himself. He had expected the man to at least haggle on the price with him. He, like most others in the know, had heard that Harry had inherited the Black family wealth. _Apparently, the rumors are true_ , the man thought, realizing that his daughter was going to be very well off. _Well off indeed!_

"A small price to pay for Daphne's happiness," Harry replied, ignoring Daniel's rather pointed look warning him away from agreeing with anything too quickly.

"Very true," the wizard answered as a smile split the face of the Head of the House of Greengrass. Turning towards the goblin next to him he received a piece of parchment. "This is a bill of sale for the wand," Gerald explained as he slid the parchment across the table to Harry, who moved it over to Daniel for review. Reaching into his robes, the man produced a box before opening it to show Harry the wand nestled within. "I'm certain she will be glad to have it returned to her. When do you think that will be?"

Harry accepted the parchment back from his solicitor, assured it was a bill of sale and nothing more. "I'm thinking it will make a nice Yule present," Harry confessed as he signed the document making the sale final.

"I couldn't agree more," Gerald replied as he accepted the document back from Harry and passed over the box with Daphne's wand. "Gringotts will see that the gold is transferred," he said as he passed the parchment to the goblin beside him before rising from his seat. "It has been a pleasure doing business with you, Mr. Potter," he stated as he extended his hand towards Harry.

"Thank you, Sir," Harry replied as he rose and shook the proffered member. The head of the Greengrass family, with his nameless goblin in tow, left rather quickly.

"That was ill-advised," Daniel Wright told Harry as soon as the conference room door had closed.

"You inspected the document," Harry countered with, "it was no more than a bill of sale, correct?" he asked only to see the man nod. "Then it was nothing more than a business transaction. Daphne told me once that to her father everything had a price tag. The man was simply attempting to make some gold off of me."

"You should have at least negotiated him down to a lower price," Daniel said, still not liking the entire deal. "250 galleons it a hefty price to pay for anything."

"I appreciate your concern, Mr. Wright," Harry replied. 250 galleons was hardly going to impoverish him, but he wasn't about to tell his solicitor that. _He would probably raise his rates_ , Harry thought. _Compared to other recent purchases it was really nothing at all._ "What's done is done," Harry added. "Thank you for your time, but if you'll excuse me, I need to see my Account Manager while I am here."

After parting ways with his solicitor, Harry made his way to the office of the Potter Account Manager. A knock on the door earned him a rather unpleasant bark from the other side of the glass. Harry chuckled softly as he opened the door and stuck his head in. "Got a few minutes, Bob?" he asked.

The goblin's attitude did an 180 upon seeing who had knocked upon his door. "Of course! Of course, Mr. Potter!" Bob replied, slipping from his seat and walking around the massive desk to shake Harry's hand. The desk was much larger than the previous one he had, and his clothes were of a much better quality and cut than when Harry had first been introduced to him. "How are you?"

Harry took in all the changes, figuring that it had to do with assuming responsibilities for the Black as well as the Lovegood fortunes. Harry had been more than a little surprised when he discovered just how much gold Xeno had hoarded away in the Lovegood vault. Apparently, the rather eccentric wizard hadn't believed in spending money and had only spent what was required to run his paper business. While not on the same par as that of the Potter or Black accounts, it still was an impressive amount of gold.

Harry shook the offered hand before taking a seat after setting the wand box upon the corner of the desk. "I am well, Bob. You seem to be doing rather good too," Harry replied with a knowing grin.

"Profitable times will do that, Mr. Potter," the goblin replied with a toothy grin. "Something I should be aware of?" Bob enquired eyeing the box.

"A Yule present for Daphne, nothing more," Harry assured him. "How is that project at the Lovegood property going?" Harry asked, getting right to the point. It was only days till Christmas, and he wanted to make certain that everything was ready.

"The dwarves finished excavating it last week," Bob answered. "Given its condition, it would have been more cost effective to just buy a new one, Mr. Potter." They had already had this conversation several times, but Harry had been adamant in his decision.

"It wouldn't be the same if it were a different one," Harry replied as he always had. "Will they be able to rebuild the house as well?"

"After having seen your memories of the place they have assured me that they can," Bob told Harry. "They won't be able to start till well after the New Year though as there is some dwarfish holiday that apparently lasts for an entire month and involves the consumption of great quantities of ale," Bob explained. Personally, he thought the dwarves were simply using the New Year as an excuse to get drunk for an entire month.

"So it will be done in time?" Harry asked just to make certain.

"The first item is already completed and will be in place at the moment you specified. The Rook will be livable before your charge is of age, Mr. Potter," Bob assured Harry.

"Were you able to locate the last item?" Harry enquired, fearful that they wouldn't be able to in time.

"Of course!" Bob scoffed. "She may have hidden them away, however, given Gringotts contacts and enough gold, anything can be found."

Harry's smile grew into a grin at the goblin's news. _This is going to be a fantastic Yule!_ "I knew I could count on you, Bob! Anything else I should know about?"

"The Davis matter concluded as we had hoped," Bob informed Harry. "All the paperwork has been filed with the Ministry so there shouldn't be any issues moving forward."

Harry sighed rather heavily recalling that he hadn't had much of an option in regards to the request by the Davis Matriarch. "Now all I have to do it tell Tracey," he mused rhetorically. He had promised himself as well as Tracey's father that he would take good care of the witch and he would, regardless of the cost.

"The investments with the Black family wealth are already starting to show substantial profits," Bob offered, feeling that perhaps a change of topics was in order.

"Well, that is good news!" Harry replied, forcing a smile back onto his face. "Have you added in the Lovegood wealth as well?"

"Not yet," Bob answered. "I'll do that after the holidays are finished, and things have settled down once again."

"That sounds reasonable," Harry replied. "Give yourself an extra one percent of the profits from both accounts. Consider it a holiday bonus," Harry added with a grin at the surprised look on Bob's face. At least he assumed it was surprise as one never really knew with goblins. Harry also figured that if there was a larger profit to be had by the goblin that Bob would work all the harder to ensure that his gold made money.

**-oOo-**

"Mr. Potter!" a Scottish brogue called out, freezing Harry in place as he stepped from the floo.

Harry turned slowly, feeling for all the world like a firstie once again who had been caught casting spells in the hallways. "Headmistress McGonagall, what a pleasant surprise," Harry replied, fearing that she was about to give him detention. The stern witch had instilled such fear in her lions that he had very little doubt that he would show up for the detention were she to do so.

"Not nearly as much of a surprise as the rest of the staff and I received this morning, I assure you," McGonagall stated evenly. "Care to explain how this could have happened?"

"Magic?" Harry squeaked out before he could stop himself.

Minerva McGonagall's eyes narrow and her lips drew into a thin line at the very Marauder answer. "I would sorely hate to have to give you detention within your own house, Mr. Potter," the sorely pressed woman stated. "The Board of Governors is asking me questions I haven't answers to. Answer that you seem to be holding! Care to explain to me why all the house elves at Hogwarts now have the Potter family crest on their uniforms where previously they wore the Hogwarts one?"

Harry sighed, his shoulders slumping as he realized the potion was out of the flask now. If the Board of Governors knew then you could bet that it was only a matter of time before the Prophet knew. _If they don't already_ , Harry thought. "Because they all bonded to me," the young wizard admitted.

"YOU WHAT?" Hermione's voice screamed from behind Harry startling the wizard both due to the sheer volume of the voice as well as to who it belonged to. Harry couldn't help but compare it to one of Mrs. Weasley's howlers. "How could you enslave them like that?"

Harry spun about to face the irate witch. "It's not what you think, Hermione," he tried to explain to his best friend.

"Why did they all bond to you?" Minerva inquired.

"For babies," Harry replied without even looking at the older witch. Faced with Hermione's growing anger, he suddenly found himself unable to speak. Hermione had been mad at him plenty of times before. There was the incident with the broom and then the potion book. Granted she had been mad at Ron more often than him but the anger Harry saw in Hermione's face was like nothing that he had ever seen before.

"It's not enough that to enslave all the elves to you but then you have them making you babies so that you'll have even more slaves?" the impassioned witch cried. She would have never of thought that Harry, of all people, would do such a thing. _He knows how I feel about the elves_ , she silently cried. _He was right there with me when I researched how to free them!_ The search hadn't turned up any useful information, but they had worked at it together. "How could you?" Hermione asked as her eyes filled with tears at the apparent betrayal.

Harry crossed the distance to Hermione and reached out for her only to have the witch shy away from his touch. "I didn't, `Mione," he told her in a quiet tone. "The babies are for them. I don't want any babies. They can't have babies unless their masters tell them when and with whom. I told all my elves that they could be with whomever they wanted and have as many babies as they wanted," he told Hermione in a rush.

"Winky told the elves at Hogwarts, and this morning I awoke to my bedroom filled with them," Harry explained. "Their bond to Hogwarts isn't a proper one, or so they told me. So they couldn't have any babies. They wanted to bond to me. How could I say no to them?" Harry asked in a pleading tone, his eyes beseeching the woman before him to understand.

"So…so you did it for them?" Hermione stammered in confusion as she worked through what Harry had told her. It made sense as Harry had bonded to Winky because the elf needed a family. Her Harry was always putting the needs of others before his own after all. It was one of the many things that she truly loved about the man.

"What other choice did I have?" Harry asked softly as he reached out and pulled the witch into his arms.

"Oh, Harry!" Hermione exclaimed as she threw her arms around his neck and hugged him tightly. "I'm sorry I got mad at you. I thought that…," her words trailed off, failing her as she was too ashamed to say what she had been thinking.

Harry shushed her gently. "It's alright," he assured her as his hand made soothing circles in the small of her back.

"I don't know what's gotten into me of late. My emotions seem to be all over the place," the emotionally charged witch confessed. "I thought we'd have all this time alone and then I find you have a house full of beautiful witches already. I mean what need do you have for me, Harry?"

"Stop that right now," Harry gently chastised as he leaned away. Taking her face in his hands, he looked her directly in the eye. "Nowhere is there a future where I do not need Hermione Granger in my life. You are very important to me and I lo-"

A soft clearing of a throat behind Harry reminded the two teens that they were not alone. "As touching as this is," the Scottish witch spoke with a hint of a smile, "I think it would be best continued in private." The Headmistress only just managed not to laugh as the two being addressed leapt apart like scolded cats.

"Sorry, Professor," Hermione and Harry replied in unison.

"Now, about the elves at Hogwarts," Minerva inquired.

"They will continue to perform their tasks just as they always have," Harry assured her.

"As grateful as I am for that, they are no longer bonded to Hogwarts," Minerva explained the problem to Harry. "I suspect that the Board of Governors fear that fact and what it could mean. The school, as it is, would not function were it not for the elves there to keep it running smoothly."

"I would never do anything to harm Hogwarts or the students there, Professor," Harry stated sincerely.

"While you and I may know that, Mr. Potter, it is the Board which needs convincing," Minerva stated. "I have been called to a meeting with them at 10 o`clock tomorrow morning, and I would like you to attend with me so that we can straighten this entire matter out."

"Of course, Professor," Harry was quick to agree.

"Then I shall expect you at Hogwarts for breakfast," Minerva ordered. "That should give us plenty of time to devise an appropriate story as well as," the older witch's eyes darted towards Hermione for a split second before returning to Harry, "catch up on what has been happening in your life."

"Sounds grand," Harry replied with a smile. "Professor," he added upon seeing the woman move towards the fireplace and the waiting floo, "won't you stay for dinner?"

The Headmistress of Hogwarts paused in her tracks for a moment as she recalled the rather large pile of papers awaiting her on her desk. "That sounds rather lovely," she answered as she turned around with a genuine smile gracing her lips.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Confounded characters running amuck once again! I know I said we'd discover what was happening at Black Manor this chapter, but then I really hadn't expected a visit from the Headmistress or a room full of elves either. Needless to say, I was as surprised as you to read that part! It should be interesting to read where that little thread goes and just how it weaves itself into the story.
> 
> Honestly, the chapter was to end on a cliffie, so it's probably just as well that it didn't, what with me going on vacation and all. I doubt there will be another update next week as I leave that Thursday and have too many things to do and far too short of time to do them in. I do hope to get at least two chapters out while in San Diego. Good intentions and all that.
> 
> As always, your reviews are not required, but they are greatly appreciated.
> 
> Kind Regards,
> 
> EJ Daniels
> 
> All characters within this story, unless otherwise stated are the sole property of J. K. Rowling the original writer of the Harry Potter series.


	15. The Start of Yule

**Chapter 15 – The Start of Yule**  
. . .  


Professor McGonagall, Headmistress of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, slowly looked about the table once more in mild disbelief. She had, over the years, come to realize that one had to suspend a certain level of belief when dealing with Harry Potter. The very fact that the boy, seemingly at the age of fifteen months, had not only defeated a Dark Lord but had also survived an Unforgiveable was usually good enough reason. The Professor had spent years in the young man's company though and had been privy to many of his adventures during the war. Few knew better than she just how surreal the man's life could be.

It was of no surprise for the elder witch to see Hermione Granger at the Potter residence as she herself had signed off on the paperwork. The greeting Minerva received from Luna Lovegood came as little surprise as well being that Harry had removed the former Ravenclaw from school not all that long ago. The appearance of Andromeda Tonks caused the arching of a Scottish brow till she recalled that Andi was of the Black family and hence was related to Harry. The squirming toddler in her arms brought a smile to McGonagall's stern features.

Seeing Mary Macdonald brought back a flood of old memories for the Headmistress. Mary had been Lily Potter's, then Lily Evans, best friend while she attended Hogwarts. Minerva could well recall the escapades of a certain James Potter as he attempted to gain the young redhead's favor. Seeing Mary also brought a slight pain of loss for what had happened to the Potters and their son who was sitting at the head of the table with a warm smile on his face.

The entrance of the final two witches saw the Headmistress's brows receding into her hairline. She, like anyone who had attended Hogwarts, knew of the rivalry between her lions and the House of Slytherin which was why she was rather surprised. "Miss Davis, Miss Greengrass," said Minerva, greeting the young women.

"Headmistress," both women answered, pausing to give a small curtsey before continuing on to their seats at the table.

"I am glad to see that the two of you are well," McGonagall told them. "I was a bit concerned when I didn't see you both at the start of term. Are you not planning on completing your N.E.W.T.s?"

"For reasons I would rather not go into, my father decided that I didn't need to return for my seventh year, Professor," Daphne replied as she waited for Harry to pull her seat out for her and then push it back in.

"The same for me except it was my mum that decided it would be a waste," Tracey offered as she scooted her chair in a bit after Harry had assisted her as well. The young woman's eyes followed Harry as he moved to the end of the table and took his own seat.

"Thankfully Harry has been sweet enough to see to it that we all can complete our schooling," Daphne added with a bright smile towards the wizard next to her as she laid her hand gently upon Harry's forearm and gave it a soft squeeze of gratitude.

"Yes, well, I couldn't see where it would hurt any," Harry said as all eyes turned towards him. "I needed to see that Luna finished her school as she is now my responsibility," he added as he squirmed a bit under the direct attention of everyone there.

"Which is why he hired me," Mary cut in with. "I had recently returned from across the pond where I had been teaching at Salem. Mr. Potter's offer was just too generous to pass up."

"And all of you live here?" McGonagall asked in disbelief.

"Harry is Teddy's godfather so I felt it was important that they spend time together," Andi explained. "I never expected him to offer us a place to stay though," she admitted with a tender smile towards the wizard at the other end of the table. "I think it has done wonders for Teddy to have another male around." _It has done wonders for me as well_ , she thought before she could stop herself.

"You're family, Andi. You and Teddy are all I really have," Harry stated affectionately.

Hermione reached out and squeezed Harry's forearm where it rested near her on the table. "Not all you have, Harry. I may not be family but you'll always have me."

"And I would be truly lost without you, `Mione," Harry replied with a tender smile that had the witch's heart doing flips in her chest. Rather than try and deny the feelings she had, Hermione now welcomed them and hoped for them to grow.

"Well, we're pretty much family now," Luna quipped in with. "Father did name you my guardian so that means I am yours, Harry. I may not be much-"

"You're far more than you think, Luna," Harry said, cutting off the witch before she could continue to belittle herself. It had long been a problem with the Ravenclaw witch, one which Harry thought was unwarranted. "We probably wouldn't have survived the Department of Mysteries without you. Then at Shell Cottage it was you and Hermione that saw me through that rough time and helped me burry Dobby. You've always been there for me Luna and that is something I shall never forget. Don't sell yourself short because others can't see the truly remarkable and beautiful witch that you are."

"Alright," Luna replied softly as a blush spread across her cheeks.

Daphne and Tracey exchanged glances. It was readily apparent to the both of them that though they had lived with Harry for several months now neither of them had the level of attachment that Hermione and even Luna had with Harry. Hermione had been an important part of Harry's life since the start of school and it was very evident to all that she held a special place in the man's heart.

Daphne could tell from what Harry had just said that Luna and he had shared some very traumatic experiences. Events that had caused a bond to form between them. _I figured that he loved Hermione already_ , she mused to herself. _Hell, the whole school figured it!_ The blonde witch hadn't liked how the Gryffindor witch had placed her hand so possessively upon Harry's arm either. _It seems that I might also have to compete with Luna if I want Harry's affections._

_Damn him for being so sweet!_ It had taken a bit of soul searching and a large dose of being truthful with herself but Daphne had finally realized that she had fallen for the wizard. The question now was what to do about it. The fact that her father had a marriage contract waiting for her didn't leave her with many options. Then there was the fact that she also loved another. _It's not like I intended to fall in love with Harry Potter when I persuaded him to give me shelter_ , she told herself.

The fact that she had tricked the wizard also was an issue and a matter she didn't feel all that proud about. _I'll just have to tell him what I did and hope that he doesn't kick me out._ From everything she had learned of the young man she didn't think he would ask her to leave but one never knew.

All of that did very little to resolve the fact that she was in love with two different people. _Would they be willing to share? Can I even ask them to share? What if they say no? How am I going to pick just one!_ the young woman groused silently. _Bloody hell, how did my life get so complicated_?

_So much for living a quiet life_ , Harry mused as he noted the five very affectionate looks he was receiving from around the table. _How did my life ever get so complicated_? he wondered, unknowingly echoing the thoughts of the blonde witch to his right. It didn't help matters that Professor McGonagall wore an amused expression as if she fully suspected his predicament. The young wizard was saved from his thoughts as the food appeared upon the table and everyone began to serve themselves.

Minerva had been around children for the greater part of her life and had become rather accustomed to being able to read them fairly well. It was evident to her that the four young witches seated at the table all had more than a passing interest in their host. Tracey Davis could be seen sneaking glances at Harry when she thought no one was looking, only to look away rather quickly as her cheeks blushed.

Luna Lovegood on the other hand did nothing to hide her stares in Harry's direction. The young witch's eyes nearly glowed with the affection she clearly felt for the man. Minerva was rather glad that the former Ravenclaw was doing better after her father's passing but was a bit concerned that she might have latched onto Harry as a replacement for the elder Lovegood.

_One would truly have to be blind to miss the possessive and jealous looks that appear on Miss Greengrass and Miss Granger's faces whenever Harry speaks to one of the other witches_ , the Headmistress thought to herself. _This can't end well_ , she realized with a concerned frown. If it weren't for the presence of Andi and Mary, to keep the teenagers in check, she would have been truly concerned. _James Potter would be ever so proud of his son while Lily would have been mortified_ , Minerva mused.

"Professor," Harry's voice spoke from the far end of the table, drawing the woman from her thoughts, "do you have plans for the holidays?" he enquired.

Minerva's frown deepened. "The same as every year Mister Potter. There is a never ending pile of paperwork which needs to be completed. The holidays allow me to catch up a little bit on the ever growing quantity," she answered, really not looking forward to the work awaiting her.

"I have something special planned for Christmas Eve," Harry told his former transfiguration professor. The questioning looks from all the others showed that this was news to them as well. "You are more than welcome to join us. In fact I was rather hoping you would."

"Thank you, but I have Hogwarts to look after," Minerva stammered. She was rather touched by the generous offer. The fact of the matter was that she didn't have any family which was why she always remained at the school. It had been a very long time indeed since anyone had invited her over for the holidays, the last being Lily Evans. "I wouldn't want to impose."

"Rubbish!" Harry said, dismissing her words with a wave of his hand. "I am certain that Hogwarts can manage without you for a day or two."

It really wasn't that hard of a decision for the Headmistress. Stay in the drafty old castle doing paperwork or spend some time with several people who had somehow managed to worm their way into her heart. _If what I suspect is happening here is true_ , she thought to herself, _then this could prove to be a very interesting holidays_. "If you're certain it won't be a bother?"

"Then it's settled," Harry said with a huge smile upon his face. "We'll expect you Christmas Eve morning so that you can help decorate."

"Harry?" Daphne spoke up, asking the question that was on most of their minds right at that moment. "Just what is this surprise?"

Harry's grin broadened, "Now it wouldn't be much of a surprise if I told you, now would it?" Try as they might they couldn't get anything further from him that evening.

**-oOo-**

The young wizard slowly made his way down into the lowest level of his home, his progress hampered by one eye that was rapidly swelling shut. He hadn't consciously chosen to go there but it had been where his feet had led him. Perhaps his unconscious mind had realized that he needed a place he wasn't likely to be discovered at any time soon. _How could it have gone so wrong?_ he asked himself not for the first time. The young man's mind recalled how the day had started off so perfectly.

Christmas Eve had dawned bright and beautiful. Harry, who had been rather busy the past few days with preparations for his surprise had hardly been home. As the young wizard stepped from the stairs he was suddenly engulfed in Hermione's arms and hugged to tightly he thought he might never breathe again.

"Oh Harry!" the impassioned witch exclaimed as she planted kisses about his face. "It's simply marvelous!" The young woman's lips finally found Harry's and suddenly the wizard didn't care if he ever breathed again or not. After several long minutes Hermione finally released the captured lips with an audible gasp for air. "Luna told me everything. How you did it all just for me!"

"I did?" the daze man replied, not really sure what he had done but damn glad to have done it!

"The library, Harry!" Hermione exclaimed, once again crushing her closest friend to her chest in a fierce hug. "You're so thoughtful, how could a girl not fall in love you?"

Realization suddenly dawned on the wizard. Harry had been so busy since Hermione's arrival that he had forgotten all about the library. "I wanted it to be a surprise," he told her as he slipped his arms about her and returned the hug. "I sort of forgot about it," he confessed in an apologetic tone.

"It was a surprise!" Hermione assured him as she leaned back so that she could see his face. "I was looking for you and just sort of found the place. Luckily, Luna was in there reading at the time and was able to explain everything to me." At first Hermione had been rather put out that Harry had such an exquisite library and hadn't told her about it. Her anger had done a complete turn about when Luna had explained all the effort Harry had put into the library just for her.

"Well, not much I can do about it now," Harry replied with a small shrug, realizing that the ghoul was already out the attic. "I am glad you like it though. It's as much yours as it is mine I feel. I mean this is your home too, Hermione."

"Thank you, Harry," said Hermione before leaning in and giving the man a tender kiss. _Just when I thought I couldn't fall any further in love with him he has to go and prove me wrong_ , she mused silently as her toes curled.

"Yes, well," Harry answered a bit awkwardly once his lips were free. He wasn't used to kissing his best friend yet but he was certainly looking forward to the chance to become use to it. "Shall we?" he asked, offering Hermione his arm.

"Let's," the witch replied with a bright smile, slipping her arm into his before they started to make their way towards the dining room.

The two arrived to find that everyone else was already at the table including the Headmistress who had arrived the previous night. There had been a moment of panic when Harry had realized he hadn't a quest room, at least none that were furnished. Winky came to the rescue by fetching the Headmistresses bed and belongings from Hogwarts and placing them in a vacant suite of rooms. Magic was truly a wonderful thing!

Breakfast passed with idle chatter though there was a certain current of excitement that seemed to build as the morning progressed. After eating they dove into decorating the new house, decking it out in wreaths and garland. With no electricity, charmed candles were used in place of Christmas lights. Daphne and Tracey used a spell they knew to cause the candle flames to randomly change colors. A quick discussion followed, spearheaded by Hermione of course, who just had to know the spell that was used and how it worked.

While the witches were busy inside Harry went outside and walked off into the woods. It wasn't long before he returned with a tree and brought it inside. It took far longer to figure out where to place the tree indoors as each witch seemed to have their own idea where it should be. Harry finally deferred to Andi who suggested it be placed next to the fireplace so that anyone going or arriving would be able to see it.

Once the tree was in place, seven witches and one wizard descended upon it and decorated it properly. Animated ornaments were something new to Harry but he found he rather liked them. _I think I shall have to add a new one each year_ , he mused to himself. _I can't wait to do this with my family_ , he thought as he stood back and admired the bedecked tree.

Just as they were finishing up Winky popped in and informed them that lunch was ready. The meal was rather quiet as none seemed to have much of an appetite, knowing that afterwards they would finally discover the secret that Harry had been keeping from them. When the meal was finished the women rushed off to clean themselves up as Harry had asked them to dress in their festive attire. The wizard himself retired to his rooms for a shower, shave and change of clothes.

"I guess I'm the first?" Harry heard behind him where he stood at the bottom of the stairs awaiting the women in his life. Turning about at the sound of Hermione's voice the young man's breathe stuck in his throat. Dressed in black flats with matching black stockings the young witch wore a red skirt that only reached an inch or two above her knees but hugged her hips like a second skin. A white button up blouse that displayed the witch's curves, accenting the fact that she was a very attractive woman. Hermione's hair was done up and arranged in such a fashion that her curly tresses cascaded down one side in an attractive fashion. A ribbon of red and green wound its way through the brown curls adding a touch of the holiday colors besides her skirt.

"You look amazing!" Harry finally managed to say once he found his voice. While Hermione had looked beautiful at the Yule Ball back in fourth year, gone was the awkward young girl. The witch was very much a beautiful young woman coming into the full bloom of adulthood. "Wow!" Harry exclaimed once again, amazed at how truly pretty Hermione was.

"Thank you, Harry," Hermione replied as she closed the distance between them and reached up to adjust his tie. "You clean up rather nicely as well," she offered, not even bothering to try and hid the blush which infused her face from his reaction to her appearance. It wasn't the first time she had worn cosmetics but she had wanted this time to be perfect. _He needs to find me attractive_ , she had told herself up in her room. _I'd call that mission accomplished_ , she thought judging by the gobsmacked expression that was still on Harry's face.

"She's right, you do clean up nicely, Harry," Daphne's voice echoed Hermione's words from the top of the stairs. The former Slytherin witch was dressed in a simple muggle dress, light blue in color, with holly stitched into the collar and cuffs of the sleeves. The dress itself was rather light and airy but still managed to highlight the fact that the wearer was a woman with all the proper curves.

Beside the blonde witch stood Tracey, dressed in a rather plain short black dressed that hugged her body with a rather daringly high cut up one side exposing a good bit of the white creamy leg hidden within. The top of the dress dipped rather low, showing off an abundance of cleavage as well as having the young wizard present swallowing with some difficulty. Harry had never seem Tracey wear something so revealing before. _I think I could get used to that_ , he thought as he forced his eyes from the girl's bosom and looked up to her face. It was apparent that both she and Daphne had taken great care with their makeup.

"You both look amazing!" Harry told them, his eyes never leaving Tracey's, much to witch's surprise and Daphne's disappointment.

"Thank you, Harry," Tracey replied, her eyes dipping demurely as she felt her cheeks heat into a blush at both the compliment as well as the stare. She usually hated it when someone stared at her like Harry was but for some reason she found she wanted to make the wizard continue to stare at her if she could.

"I think you've broken him," Daphne said with a smirk as she slipped her arm into Tracey's and led the blushing witch down the stairs. She didn't fail to notice how Harry couldn't seem to take his eyes off of Tracey. _I knew I should have worn something more provocative! I'm just not used to muggle clothing yet I guess._

Standing beside Harry, Hermione noticed as well that the wizard couldn't seem to look elsewhere but at Tracey. _I hadn't expected Tracey to break out her LBD_ , she thought with a frown. _Well played Davis!_

"S…sorry," Harry stammered as he forced his eyes away. "I didn't mean to stare."

"That bad?" Tracey asked self-consciously upon reaching the foot of the stairs.

"Merlin's beard, no!" Harry exclaimed, his gaze snapping back to the witch in question. "You look incredible, Tracey!" The young man's words caused a rather pleased smile to spread across the young woman's face.

"She does, doesn't she," Andi stated from the top of the stairs where she stood next to Mary and Minerva who were all dressed in traditional witches robes of dark colors. "Who knew she had such a figure under those clothes she usually wears," Andi added as the three witches descended the stairs to join the growing group there.

"Yes, well, any sign of Luna?" Harry asked in an effort to change the subject.

"I'm here!" Exclaimed the petite girl's voice from the top of the stairs. As one, those gathered turned and looked up the stairs only to gap at what they saw. Luna's long blonde hair was pulled back into a French braid to make room for the green pointed hat with black trim which sat atop of her head. The witch was dressed all in green, from her shirt to her skirt even to her pointed toed green boots with little bells on them that jingled when she walked.

What had the others gaping at the former Ravenclaw though was the fact that the shirt and skirt were both very short. The blouse, if you could call it that, fit snuggly and ended just below the girl's breasts, leaving her abdomen completely bare and accentuating her pert assets. The skirt was no better, barely covering the curvature of her bum, much to Harry's delight. "What?" Luna asked at seeing their shocked expressions.

"Luna, what are you wearing?" Daphne asked, being the first to find her voice once again. If Tracey's dress had been a little revealing then Luna's outfit was…well, the young woman didn't know what to call it, at least not and still be polite about it.

"It's an elf's outfit!" Harry exclaimed as his brain engaged once again. There was more creamy skin visible on Luna than he had ever seen on any girl before so it was understandable that the young man was rather distracted a bit by what he saw. Hormones were cruel things at times.

The petite blonde's face split into a wide grin at Harry's words. "Hermione had shown me some pictures of what muggles thought Santa's elves looked like," Luna explained before she bounced down the stairs. From the manner in which her green clade chest moved it was apparent to the others that the girl wasn't wearing anything under her outfit. While the women looked on in disbelief Harry once again found his eyes glued to a witch's chest, not that he minded in the slightest.

All eyes but Harry's turned to look in Hermione's direction. "It was a store catalog," she stated a bit defensively. "They had pictures of women dressed like elves and gesturing towards the items on the page." They had been shopping for a present for Harry and Hermione had suggested that something from the muggle world might be good and so had provided several store catalogs for Luna to look through.

"I don't understand," Tracy stated. "Elves don't dress like that," she added as she looked back to the witch who had now joined their group at the bottom of the stairs. "House elves hardly wear any clothes at all."

"I'd say she's close to that," Mary said under her breath but loud enough for Andi and Minerva to hear.

"Unless they are Harry's elves," Daphne quipped in with. It had taken a bit of getting used to seeing Winky in a dress and Kreacher in tails but she had to admit it was better than what House Elves normally wore.

"Or the Hogwarts elves," Minerva was quick to add, silently agreeing with Mary's comment. It had taken a meeting with her, Harry and the Board of Governors to address the House Elf issue that Harry had caused. In the end there was little that could be done as the elves in question had already bonded to Harry and Hogwarts couldn't run without them. The end result was that Harry was paid for the use of his elves at the school. The wizard used the money to see that the elves had everything they needed as they wouldn't take the money for themselves.

"Yes, well, we'd best be going," Harry stated as he turned and moved towards the front doors.

"Where are we going?" Daphne asked as she caught up to the wizard and slipped her arm through his. The fact that they weren't using the floo did not escape her notice.

"Now it wouldn't be much of a surprise if I told you that now would it?" Harry replied with a grin that was very reminiscent of his late godfather. Left with little choice the witches followed Harry outside where they found a broom waiting for each of them.

"Ummm, Harry?" Hermione asked a bit apprehensively. While the young witch was not averse to flying on a broom it was not something that she enjoyed in the same fashion as Harry did. Her fear of heights didn't help matters at all either.

"Relax, Hermione," Harry replied in a reassuring tone and with a sympathetic smile. "We're not going terribly far or high. We'll be there before you know it," he assured her as he handed her a broom. "I'll stay right beside you the entire way." Hermione accepted the broom with a grateful smile, knowing that if Harry was beside her she had nothing to fear.

"I'm assuming there is a good reason we are riding brooms, Mister Potter," Minerva enquired as she took her Cleansweep in hand.

"It's a bit too far to walk in the snow, Professor," answered Harry as he mounted his broom before lifting off the ground to hover before those gathered, "and none of you are keyed into the wards as yet."

"Yes, well, I can see where that would be a problem," the elder witch replied as she sat sidesaddle upon her broom and kicked off the group. In short order the others joined her.

Harry led them through the woods, making certain to keep a slow easy pace. It was a beautiful day with a blanket of pristine snow upon the ground and crisp clean air so none minded the ride. It wasn't long before they flew out of the woods, stopping at some point that only Harry seemed to be aware of. As the witches dismounted the broom they had ridden upon vanished as they were collected by a House Elf.

"Where did I put it?" Harry mumbled to himself as he searched through his pocket apparently looking for something. The witches could do little more than stand in the snow and look on, expecting something spectacular to happen. "Ah! Found it!" Harry exclaimed as he slipped a small white stone into his hand. "Ladies," he opened with as he regarded the women in his life, "I welcome you to The Lupin Home!"

With a grand sweep of his arm he added their names to the wards and a sprawling manor house that had once been the ancestral home of the Black family came into view before their eyes. The house was enormous in size, having at one point been a defensive Keep of some distant era. It was readily apparent from the different architecture that several additions had been added to the original structure over the centuries to make it seem more like a home and less like a castle. The newest addition, a large white three storied building that jutted off of the east wing of the manor, glistened brightly in the midday sunlight.

The group was standing upon the end of a paved walkway which was dry and cleared of any snow or ice, the diligent work of elves no doubt. "Come on! I can't wait to show you inside!" Harry exclaimed, grinning like a kid in a candy shop. The young wizard's exuberant cheer was rather infectious and the others soon sported grins of their own as they approached the main doors to the structure.

"Harry, you called this the Lupin Home but isn't this the Black ancestral manor house?" Andi enquired as she slipped in beside the young wizard. "I don't understand." It had been many years, not since she herself was a child, since she had been to this place. She could tell that the structure had been cleaned up a great deal as it was no longer the dark dreary place she remembered. Grimmauld Place had looked cheery in comparison she recalled.

Harry slipped his hand into Andi's and gave it a reassuring squeeze. "You're right and wrong on both accounts," he told her with a playful grin as they ascended the stairs to the main doors. "This used to be the Black ancestral home, now it is mine. Thanks to Sirius. I wanted to do something for Dora and Remus, so they wouldn't be forgotten," Harry explained as he open the door and led them into the spacious manor house. Anything further the wizard was going to say was suddenly cut off.

"HARRY!" a multitude of young voices exclaimed loudly. "Harry's here!" seemed to ring throughout the structure rapidly followed by the running of many feet. In a matter of but a few seconds the man found himself surrounded by a sea of young boys and girls ranging in ages from barely able to walk to nearly adults. As the newly arrived witches looked on in amazement they watched as everyone tried to talk to Harry at once.

"Oh good, he finally got here," spoke a familiar voice beside Hermione. "I don't think we could have constrained them for much longer."

"Susan?" Hermione voiced in a quizzical tone, surprised at seeing the former Hufflepuff there. "What are you doing here?"

Susan Bones gave a short chuckle before answering, "I work here…as well as live here," she informed Hermione and the others, much to their amazement. "Harry hired me through Gringotts to help run the place."

"What exactly is this place?" Daphne asked without taking her eyes off of Harry. The wizard seemed intent upon answering every question directed his way as well as returning every hug and handshake. The former Slytherin was certain she had never seen the man happier.

"The war displaced a lot of families," Susan explained as other adults, who had moved at a more dignified pace began to appear, each wearing a grin as they watched the barely contained chaos that surrounded Harry and the kids. "Some had no homes to go back to while others had no families at all. Harry used this manor house to give them all a place to call home."

"There are 237 children here and over 40 families so far," Padma Patil broke into the conversation with as she and her sister Parvati joined the other witches.

"Harry keeps finding more and bringing them in. Thankfully we have the room for them all due to the addition Harry had added and the houses that were built about the lake out back," Parvati stated, picking up where her sister left off.

"Why are you guys here?" Hermione hazard to ask. She had a million and one questions but really didn't know where to start. Seeing the smile upon Harry's face and the sparkle in his emerald eyes it was apparent, at least to her, that Harry was going to have a wonderful Yule this year. _I've never seen him this happy before_.

"As great as our Harry is," Padma offered, "he is apparently rubbish at running the place. The poor house elves were running themselves ragged trying to meet everyone's needs and don't get me started on just how messed up the paperwork was!" she exclaimed with an eye roll. "I relieved him of that duty as soon as I saw the mess he had made of it."

"I help the elves look after the children," Susan chimed in with. The former Hufflepuff felt as though she had found her true calling in life. She had a maternal streak within her that was a mile wide apparently. Having lost family in the war she knew how those orphaned felt. Susan suspected that Harry did as well and that was the reason he had created this place. "It's a full time job which is why I moved in here with Pav and Padma."

"I guess it's my turn," Parvati said with grin. "If Padma is the administration and Sue is the motherly figure I guess that makes me the disciplinary of the group. I also handle the liaison with the families that are quartered on the premises and lend a hand to Padma and Sue if they need it."

"You certainly seem to have your hands full," Andi stated as she and the others once more regarded the sea of little hands and smiling faces that surrounded Harry, clamoring for his attention. The Black sister couldn't help but see the changes that had been made to the house. Nor did she fail to see the irony in Harry using the Black family wealth to care for what her late mother would call mudbloods, half breeds and blood traitors. Naming the house after a werewolf was just the icing on the cake as far as she was concerned.

"It's not always like this," Padma assured her. "Pandemonium only descends when Harry is here."

"Then it is near impossible to get them to do anything other than follow him around," Susan added with a humorous shake of her head. "On Saturdays when he comes to play Quidditch nearly everyone turns out to watch the games."

"So that is where he goes every Saturday!" Tracey said loudly. "I thought he was playing with his friends from Hogwarts."

"I think the games help take everyone's mind off of what happened to them and where they are," Parvati offered. She was fairly certain that Harry knew that as well which was why he did it. "While this is now their home it is not _their_ home. Still, it's like a festival around here every Saturday when he arrives," she told them with a small smile.

"What of their education?" Marry asked with a thoughtful look towards the sea of children. "I can but imagine the teachers must have their hands full as well."

"You'd probably be correct, Ma`am," Parvati offered respectfully, not knowing who Mary was or her relationship in regards to Harry, "if they were receiving an education." Minerva and Mary exchanged concerned looks at this news. "Please bear in mind that we're relatively new and are still trying to figure everything out as we go along."

"Right now we have our hands full trying to get everyone settled and their needs met," Susan cut in with. "Harry has mentioned setting up a school for the children but I'm not certain when we'll be able to do that." Susan saw the Headmistress and the woman who had asked about school exchange determined looks and knew that Harry would be hearing about their concerns in the not too distant future. Further discussion was halted as an elf popped into the space next to Susan and informed her that it was time to eat.

Harry managed to extract himself from all the children who, with the help of the adults, were herded to the dining hall. The beaming wizard made his way back over to the waiting women, minus Susan, Padma and Parvati who had left to help with the children. "Sorry about that," he offered as he reached them. "They get a bit excited when I show up for some reason."

Daphne felt a tug on her dress and looked down at a small boy who couldn't be more than four or five. "You're awfully pretty. Are you Harry's girlfriend?" the small boy asked with large brown innocent eyes.

Daphne felt the heat rise in her cheeks and sputter to form a reply. Thankfully she was rescued by the appearance of another boy who had to be at least in his teens.

"There you are!" the boy said, scooping up the younger boy and settling him on one hip in what was a well-practiced move apparently. "How many times have I told you not to wonder off by yourself Nev?"

"But I wanted to meet Harry's girlfriend," the boy who was called Nev whined.

"Sorry about that," the older boy offered to Daphne. "Younger brothers," he added with a slight shrug before turning away and heading off to where the other children had gone. "Don't be silly, that's not Harry's girlfriend. Everyone knows his girlfriend is Anna," floated back to the group who looked on in amusement both at what happened as well as at the blush not only on Daphne's face but Harry's a swell.

"It seems you've been rather busy, Mr. Potter," Minerva spoke up into the silence after the brothers' departure.

"A bit," Harry conceded with a sheepish grin.

"How did you do all this?" Hermione asked, amazed at what she had seen so far.

Harry turned and looked at his best friend before answering. "One thing I learned from the Malfoys is that if you have enough money you can do almost anything. Sirius left me well off and I wanted to do something for Remus and Dora," he explained. "Dora was family and Remus was…well a friend, when I had far too few of them. Besides," he added, a mischievous sparkle appearing in his eye, "I'm sure some place Sirius is have a good laugh at what I have done with the Black family estate!"

"I have little doubt that his mother is cursing you from the great beyond," Andi quipped in with as a grin spread across her face. "Thank you Harry. I know Dora and Remus would both be touched by what you have done for them."

Harry just smiled and gave a small nod of acceptance. He knew that he would see them once again just as he would see his parents and Sirius. The stone had shown him that there was in fact more after this life, he just needed to be patient and wait. He wasn't in any hurry to leave this world. _Not when it is this interesting_ , he thought to himself as his eyes scanned across the witches arrayed before him. "Shall we?" he asked with a gesture in the direction everyone else had gone. Offering Andi his arm he led the others to the dining hall and the waiting meal.

The dining hall was very reminiscent of the great hall of Hogwarts, which wasn't a surprise. While the Black ancestral home had not been a castle of the same scale as Hogwarts it had been a fortified Keep. The dining hall was enormous in size with three deep fire pits arrayed along the center of the hall to ward off any chill. Tables were erected in rows to either side of the fire pits with children and families already seated.

"How do you keep the children from burning themselves?" Hermione enquired, eyeing the large blazes in the fire pit.

"I don't know but I suspect magic," Harry replied with a lopsided grin as he pulled Andi's chair out for her. Hermione could do little more than laugh at her own blunder for not having seen the obvious. "We've taken all the precautions we could, I assure you," Harry added as he pulled her seat out for her once Andi was seated.

"And you've managed to keep this all quiet while it was going on practically right under our very noses?" Daphne stated as Harry stepped over to seat her next. "You really would have made a good Slytherin, Harry," she added as she sat in the chair being held for her.

Harry just chuckled at her compliment. "I told you that was where the hat first wanted to sort me," he reminded Daphne as he pushed in her chair.

"Slytherin? Really?" Tracey asked in disbelief, only to see Harry nod as he pulled out her chair for her. "I wish you had been sorted there. We could have gotten to know each other so much sooner," she told him she seated herself. Harry said nothing as standing behind Tracey and pushing in her chair gave the young man a perfect view right down the front of the witch's low cut black dress, which was enough to steal any man's voice, thoughts, heartbeat as well as alter his blood flow towards a southerly direction.

"Harry?" Susan said, having walked over to the table. The calling of his name seemed to snap the dazed wizard from his thoughts as well as the view that had captivated his interest. "We seem to be missing someone," the former Hufflepuff told him.

Harry craned his neck and looked about the hall for a long moment as if searching for someone. "Where is she?" he finally asked, offering a few smiles to those seated at the other tables when they noticed him looking their way.

"I suspect waiting for you," Susan replied with a hint of a grin.

"If you ladies will excuse me," Harry offered apologetically. "We can't really begin till everyone is here." Turning about the young man strode from the hall with many a pair of eyes following his back.

"Has anyone seen Luna?" Hermione suddenly asked, realizing that the petite witch was nowhere to be found.

"Last I saw her a group of kids took her to be Santa's helper and they were dragging her off so that they could make certain Santa knew what they wanted for Christmas," Tracey stated. Almost as one they all looked about the hall, finally spotting the green pointed hat upon Luna's head on the other side of the hall where she was surrounded by a host of young children. As she appeared to be enjoying herself they decide to leave her be.

"If Miss Lovegood is already here then whom did Mister Potter go to retrieve?" Mary asked once the blonde witch had been located.

Susan's smile turned decisively forlorn upon hearing Mary's question. The witch's brown eyes turned to once more regard the door Harry had left through. "Anna."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the slow update. I offer no excuses other than to say "Life Happens".
> 
> As always, your reviews are not required but they are greatly appreciated.
> 
> Kind Regards,
> 
> EJ Daniels
> 
> All characters within this story, unless otherwise stated are the sole property of J. K. Rowling the original writer of the Harry Potter series.


	16. Yule Presents

**Chapter 16 – Yule Surprises  
 . . .**

Harry climbed the stairs two at a time as he headed to the suite of rooms he had given to Anna. He had, early on, thought of moving her into Westfield Manor but wasn't certain how the other women living there would take to that. While he was certain most thought him fairly clueless in such matters he could see what was happening. _I'd have to be dead not to have noticed the looks and glances_ , he thought to himself. _It wasn't all that long ago I thought Luna was the only one I had a chance with_ , he recalled with a small grin that resembled what his father must have worn in his early days at Hogwarts.

Upon reaching the top of the stairs, the young wizard turned down the hallway still a bit lost in thought. Knowing that the women in his life had feelings for him was the extent of his knowledge. His life, up to this point, had done little to prepare him for a relationship. There had been Cho for a brief time as well as Ginny, but neither were what Harry thought a truly mature relationship should be like. _Not that I know what that is_ , he scoffed silently to himself as he reached his destination. Pausing for a moment, he hastily made certain his clothes were in order and schooled his features before lifting a hand and knocking lightly on the door.

"Go away!" yelled an irate feminine voice from the other side of the door.

Harry frowned and knocked once again. "Anna, it's me, Harry," he informed her. "Can I come in?"

"Harry?" the young wizard heard the girl repeat in a nervous voice followed by the sound of someone approaching the door from the other side, but that soon stopped without the door being opened.

Harry waited a few moments for Anna to say something further but when nothing greeted him but silence he decided to act. "Anna, I'm coming in," Harry warned her as he grasped the doorknob, prepared to do just that.

"No!" Anna yelped just before the door in Harry's hand shuddered under an impact from the other side before he could open it. "You can't see me! I look hideous!" she told him through the door.

Harry closed his eyes and sighed softly as he leaned his head against the door separating them. They had been through this before, many times, and it never got easier. "Well then I guess there is nothing to it," he told Anna through the door, deciding to try something different this time. "I'll just have to sit out here and wait for you then," Harry added as he turned about and slid down the door till he was seated upon the floor.

Several long moments passed with neither making a sound. "Harry?" Anna's voice reached the waiting wizard through the door.

"Hmm?" Harry enquired.

"Aren't the others waiting for you?" Anna asked a note of worry in her voice. It was one thing for her not to go but an entirely different thing for Harry not to be there she reasoned. Everyone was waiting for Harry after all.

"Probably," Harry agreed in a casual tone as if it didn't matter one way of the other.

"So shouldn't you be going?" asked Anna after a few more long moments passed, and the wizard in the hallway didn't say anything further.

"Not without you," Harry stated.

"But Harry, wo-" Anna started to say only to be cut off.

"Who are you?" Harry asked her through the door only to hear her mumble a reply after a pause. "Sorry, didn't catch that. Who are you?"

"H…Harry's girl?" came the hesitant reply a bit louder.

"Right in one," Harry assured her as a smile slipped across his face. "If I showed up downstairs without my best girl on my arm that lot will think you've finally wised up and tossed me into the rubbish bin where I belong!"

"Harry, don't say that! You're not supposed to talk badly about yourself," Anna scolded him through the locked door. "You're my Harry. Therefore you're perfect! Anyone who says otherwise will be dealing with me and that includes you!" she told him reproachfully.

Harry didn't even attempt to stop the grin that spread across his features. "Then what say you open this door and let me escort the prettiest girl here down to dinner?" Harry offered as he got to his feet. "Everyone is here to meet you after all."

"Everyone?" Anna asked nervously through the door.

"I brought them all just as I said I would," Harry confirmed. Anna had asked to meet the women in his life and Harry, ever indulgent of her desires, had readily agreed to her request. "They're downstairs waiting for us right now."

"But I haven't got a thing to wear," Anna whined from the other side of the door wanting to look her best when she met Harry's friends.

"They're not here to see what clothes you're wearing, Sweetie," Harry told her, doing his best not to laugh. _Just like a girl, always worried about how others will think she looks_. Being a male, Harry had no clue just how important that was to a woman. First impressions only happened once after all. "Now how about we go and meet them?" After a minute there was a soft click as the lock was released and the door slowly swung open. "That's my girl," Harry affirmed with a warm smile as he greeted her.

"It's ugly isn't it?" Anna inquired as she looked down at her clothes.

Harry eyed the black flats, white stockings which disappeared beneath a red sleeveless dress. Under the dress, Anna wore a long sleeved white turtleneck sweater which Harry knew did more than just keep her warm. Dark brown eyes set within a round face framed by chestnut hair regarded the wizard awaiting his verdict anxiously. "Beautiful as always," Harry assured her after giving it serious thought. Harry knew, reply too quickly, and she wouldn't believe him, take too long, and she would think he was hiding the truth from her. It was a lesson he had learned over the years from Hermione. _Girls are so complicated!_

"Really?" Anna exclaimed, her entire face lighting up at his words. She really didn't like the outfit, feeling that it made her look far too young and childish, but with all her own clothes lost to her, she realized there was little she could do about it.

"Really. Really," Harry replied with a grin, being able to use a line from one of Anna's favorite movies. Offering his arm the young man's face took on a serious demeanor that was only marred by the humorous sparkle in his emerald eyes. "Please allow me to escort you to dinner. I have it on the best of authority that a young lady should always be accompanied to meals," Harry explained, recalling that it was Daphne that had taught him that.

Anna seemed to hesitate for a moment before her eyes fell to the floor around her feet. It was apparent to the wizard that she wanted to tell him something but was nervous about whatever it was. "I…I think I would like to take it off," she told Harry finally. "Just for tonight!" she quickly added.

"Are you sure?" Harry asked, a bit surprised by her words. Since receiving it, she hadn't removed it to the best of his knowledge. Susan had even commented on how she bathed and slept with it on as well. Not that he blamed her in the least. Having had a lifetime of people staring at him, Harry could appreciate how Anna must feel. _At least I only have the one scar_.

"W…will you do it?" stammered Anna nervously as she turned her back to him and tilted her head slightly forward to allow him access to the nap of her neck.

"If you're certain?" Harry asked only to receive a nod from the girl before him. Slowly the wizard raised his hands and allowed his finger to dip beneath the collar of the turtleneck sweater, briefly brushing up against the scarred skin beneath. It was only a moment before they emerged once again, a thin, delicate gold chain in their grasp. Harry worked the chain about till he could get to the clasp, unfastening it and allowing the glamour the necklace generated to drop.

"Thank you," Anna offered as Harry removed the necklace and handed it to her. "I want them to meet the real me," Anna explained upon noting Harry's questioning look. This didn't stop her from dropping the necklace into her pocket in case it was needed later. Without further words, Harry escorted his girl down to dinner.

**-oOo-**

"Anna?" Hermione voiced her question. "This is the first I've heard of her. Who is she?" Hermione asked as she looked around the table at the other witches seated there. _In all his letters Harry never once mentioned an Anna. Then again there were a great many things he never mentioned_ , she realized as her gaze swept over the others. _I mean honestly, how can you forget the fact that there are multiple women living with you?_

"Harry's been dating her for some time now. Apparently, he sees others as well, so I didn't figure it to be anything serious," Daphne offered with a thoughtful frown as she realized that she didn't really know anything about Harry's Anna either. Daphne noticed Hermione's eyes narrow slightly at this news. _She likes the fact Harry is dating multiple women as little as I do apparently_. "I'm not sure what Anna's like as none of us have actually met her before."

"Oh she is a sweetheart," said Susan with a tender smile. "Everyone here just simply adores her." About the table, several faces looked rather worried at this latest bit of news. It seemed to those there that there might be someone else who was making a play for their wizard's heart.

"Miss Bones," Mary said to get the witch's attention. "What is it exactly that Mister Potter is trying to accomplish here?" The Wizarding world wasn't exactly known for being charitable unless there was something to be gained from it. In the time she had spent at Westfield Manor Mary had found Harry to be quite different from what she had initially expected. There were times when she didn't know if she was supposed to protect the witches from Harry or the other way around.

_Not that he's perfect, he is a man, after all_ , she reminded herself. On many occasion, she had been forced to insert herself into a conversation to keep it from becoming something less than proper. It was difficult at best keeping an eye on all the young impressionable girls that had been placed in her care, but she did the best she could. Mary did not like the manner in which Harry seemed to flirt with all the witches and so had taken it upon herself to see that he was not left alone with any of them for any great length of time. The dark looks from the young witches when she intruded was just something she was prepared to live with if it meant protecting their virtue as well as Harry's.

"Funny you should ask that as I questioned him on that very same thing shortly after being hired on," Susan replied. "He just gave me the most peculiar look and said 'Everyone needs a place to call home. Someplace where they can feel safe and protected.' I'm still not sure what he meant by that but have been too busy to puzzle over it very much," Susan confessed.

Hermione knew, but then again she knew Harry better than anyone else, possibly even better than he knew himself. Growing up Harry had been forced to live with the Dursleys, his mother's sister and her family. Harry had commented once at the end of term as they boarded the Hogwarts Express that he wasn't going home, not really. _If anyone knows what it feels like to not have a proper home it's Harry_ , the bright witch thought to herself.

Mary and Minerva questioned Susan on the Lupin Home and what they had accomplished thus far. Occasionally Andi would comment on some aspect or item that wasn't normal for the Wizarding world just so she could understand it better. Their discussion was interrupted by the arrival of Luna who had finally manage to extract herself from the group of kids who were not about to let the chance to speak with an elf, who worked directly for Father Christmas, pass them by. "He'll be here soon," the blonde witch told them a bit breathlessly as she slipped into her seat.

"Harry?" Tracey asked, puzzled as always by what the younger witch had to say. The former Slytherin was an intelligent witch and could usually follow anything that others said, but Luna frustrated her to no end. _One never knows what will come out of her mouth!_

Luna looked thoughtful for a moment before giving a slight nod, "Him too."

Susan was in the process of thanking the Headmistress for the use of the Hogwarts elves when the words coming out of her mouth just died in her throat. "Oh my…," the last member of the Bones line breathed out as one hand rose to her lips in disbelief. Every eye at the table turned to look in the direction Susan was staring.

A hush fell over the room as all eyes turned to regard Harry in the doorway. The small girl had her arms wrapped around the wizard's neck and her legs securely wrapped around his waist. The child's head was tucked into the crook of Harry's neck, but there was no mistaking the scarred skin that was visible in place of the girl's hair. Into the silence, a boy's voice rang out. "Come sit with us Anna!" it called. "No sit over here, look we saved you a seat," a girl's voice was quick to say. It's wasn't long before a chorus of voices rang out calling for the petite girl's presence at their table.

"My word! Whatever happened to that poor child?" Mary asked as they all watched as Harry deferred to the girl in his arms. Apparently, some decision was reached as she indicated a table to sit at. The occupants of the table cheered for their good fortune as Harry carried his charge over.

Like everyone else in the room, Susan's eye remained fixed upon the two who walked to the table the small child had indicated. "As near as we've been able to piece together, Anna's sister was a muggle-born witch. A group of Snatchers came for her one night and decided to stay and have a bit of fun with the family. Anna was the only one to survive," Susan told them as the other kids at the table Anna had selected made room for the girl and wizard. As Harry sat down, Anna crawled around and sat in the seat of honor, Harry's lap.

"A group of Aurors showed up and after a brief battle chased off the Snatchers who were taking turns using various fire spells on the poor dear. They probably thought it was great fun to torture a muggle that had no magic to defend themselves," Susan informed them all in a steely voice. Is was evident in her tone and expression that she wished she could have the individuals who had harmed the child before her. Revenge was not always a dish best served cold, sometimes it needed to be smoldering hot.

"So Anna is a muggle?" Tracey asked only to see Susan give the nod by way of reply.

"Why hasn't the Ministry sent a team of Obliviators here to memory charm her," Daphne voiced the question most of the others at the table were thinking. It was fairly common procedure to alter the memories of Muggles who accidently discovered the existence magic. As the Muggle population grew, the Obliviators were kept constantly busy.

Susan gave a small shrug. "The Aurors who rescued her must have assumed she was the one the Snatchers were after, being the last one alive. Perhaps the Aurors were just too busy to care as it was the height of the war," Susan speculated. "Things were crazy as there were Death Eater attacks every day almost. After Anna was stabilized at St. Mungo's she was dropped into a Ministry-funded orphanage. When Harry opened Lupin Home, the Ministry cleaned out many of their orphanages and sent the children here."

"I doubt they know Anna or any of the other muggles are here. Harry paid extra for the best wards that the Goblins could devise. I wouldn't want to be the fool who tried to enter here without his permission," said Susan. Further discussion was halted as the food suddenly appeared upon the table. "I better get back to my area to keep an eye on the little ones," Susan offered as she excused herself.

The volume of noise in the room was what one would expect from so many children gathered in one place. Mary, Minerva, and Andi sat and chatted like old friends, discussing Harry's project among themselves. The younger witches at the table sat and ate in near silence, each lost in their thoughts as the Yule was not what they had expected or wanted, truth be told. They had each harbored thoughts of spending some time alone with Harry only to find themselves seated without his usual presence there to comfort them.

"I can't believe Harry did all of this with none of you the wiser," Hermione finally said, her frustration at the situation getting the better of her. The fact that Harry and she had a rather nice snog session and now she found out he was dating several others had her more confused than she ever had been in her entire life, which was saying something for a muggle who had found out she was a witch at the age of eleven. A part of her felt betrayed while another part was busy berating herself for having waited too long to tell Harry how she felt about him.

"You're his best friend supposedly, why didn't you know?" Daphne was quick to quip feeling the Gryffindor's anger was directed at her. "I thought the two of you shared everything?" Not having Harry seated next to her did little to improve Daphne's mood. _I miss our playful banter_ , she realized. _So much for my plans of finding some mistletoe for Harry and me to share._

"Well, _I_ haven't been living with him for months," Hermione fired back. Daphne's word hurt far more than Hermione let on but only because they were not far from the truth. _Why was Harry keeping all of this from me? Doesn't he trust me anymore?_ She wondered. The library she could understand as it was meant to be a surprise for her. _But this….this is something I thought he would have been happy to share with me! I could have helped him organize it,_ she thought, forgetting for the moment that it was her NEWT year.

_Have we grown that far apart?_ Recalling their playful banter on platform 9 ¾s and the snogging session in her room she found that rather hard to believe. Harry had stated just the previous evening that he would be lost without her. _But in what capacity does he need me?_ Hermione couldn't understand why Harry had kissed her like that if he was dating other women either. For once the bright witch didn't understand her best friend and that, more than anything else, gave her pause for concern.

"Well maybe you should have been!" snapped Tracey, quick to come to Daphne's defense. She, like the others, was missing Harry's presence as he always made her feel safe. To the former Slytherin, feeling safe was a rarity and one she was currently missing, even with Daphne there beside her. The fact that she realized she could do little about the man's absence only helped to shorten the fuse on her temper.

"Ladies, it is the Eve of Christmas, do we really have to do this now?" Mary asked in an attempt to head off what she believed to be an unavoidable confrontation between Harry and all the witches currently residing under his roof. _I almost pity the clueless man_ , she thought to herself.

"Yes, how about we try to enjoy ourselves as Harry is," Andi offered, her words causing everyone at the table to look towards the laughing and smiling wizard. The man's absence was part of the issue as each witch wanted to spend time with Harry. Andi's words, while meant to calm the growing storm, only served to remind those at the table of the fact that Harry was elsewhere. "It would seem that he has gone to great lengths to make this holiday a memorable one."

Further talk was interrupted by Luna who started to bounce in her seat and clap her hands. The former Ravenclaw had a huge smile on her face as her eyes shone brightly. "It's time!" she exclaimed to those at the table as if she had not heard any of the previous conversation, which she hadn't. It wasn't that she was purposefully not listening but rather that she was listening rather intently for something else entirely. "He's here!" Luna told them, barely able to remain in her seat.

The faint sound of bells was heard. Throughout the spacious hall, conversations paused as voices were stilled. Many tilted their head to one side in an effort to listen better, uncertain if they had heard what they thought they had. There was a long moment of silence when once again the jingling of bells was heard, quickly followed by many excited whispers among the children. There was suddenly a noise that sounded as if a herd of great steeds was prancing across the roof above their heads, while once more jingling bells merrily tinkled through the hall.

Above each enormous fire pits, there was a large metal hood which was used to collect the smoke from the fire below it and funnel it outside. Out of the center, most hood began to appear a flurry of snowflakes. Many of those gathered in the hall noted that the snowflake did not seem to be affected by the heat of the fire below them. The white powdery flakes drifted about as if they were upon some breeze only they could feel. More and more flakes arrived till they formed a rather large cloud above everyone's head.

Harry stood, and situating Anna in his arms, walked to the head of the hall where he turned and addressed everyone with Anna riding one hip. "Recently, through an off chance encounter, I made a new friend," he told those before him as they hung on his every word. "I told this friend about the Lupin Home here, and the trying year it has been for all of you and your families. My friend insisted that they come and spend some time with the children and families here."

As Harry spoke the cloud of snowflakes condensed and dropped till they touch the ground next to the wizard. For a moment it was as if someone had shaken a giant snow globe. Snow swirled hither and yon being scattered about in all directions within a confined space. The magical flakes grew closer together joining till the form of a man emerged.

He was tall, nearly seven feet in height. Long curly hair, once brown in color was now streaked through with gray and white, leaving mere hints of the brown it once was. Eyes as blue as glacial ice sparkled with mirth above a long pointed nose and a grin mostly hidden by a long full beard. The man was not fat and jolly as the muggles thought of Santa Claus, but was rather wide of shoulder and had a powerful barrel chest. His arms were thick and muscular from working every day. Long legs with a wide stance held up this mountain of a man who had appeared from the gathered snow. Everyone stared in awe of the new arrival, dressed in long robes of homespun coarse fibers colored in earthly hues of brown, blue, red and green.

"Are you Father Christmas?" piped up Anna's small voice into the ensuing silence at the appearance of Harry's friend. The young girl's eyes were open fully, and a smile was plastered upon her face, stretching nearly ear to ear.

The man laughed a deep hearty chuckle from the very depths of his being, causing many there to laugh as well for his laughter was infectious. "Hello Anna," the man said with a slight bow towards the little girl after his laughter had worked itself from his body. "I have many names, Mikulas, Babbo Natale, Pere Noel and Ded Moroz to name but a few, and while it is true that I am known as Father Christmas to this land, I have always preferred the name I was born within Germania, Kris. Kris Kringle at your service!" the tall man offered with a flourish and a deep bow.

"Thank you for coming, Kris," Harry offered, shaking the man's hand, as Anna giggled in his arms. Anna's giggles were music to his ears. "I'm sure they are all glad you could make it."

"You would have found it hard to keep me away," Kris replied with a merry twinkle in his eyes. Kris and the elves that worked for him had their own brand of magic. For one night of every year, there was no ward or alarm that could keep the man from delivering his toys to the deserving girls and boys. Some magics were so ancient that they were only understood by those they belonged to.

Upon seeing Harry gesture to everyone watching, the toy maker turned to address the hall. "Am I right to assume that you've all been good this year?" he asked. About the room, everyone nodded that they had, however, there were a few who weren't so certain and looked rather doubtful. "I have a list, and I've checked it twice, just to make certain who's naughty and nice. I can tell you here and now that no naughty within this home were found!" Kris laughed as the children's cheers shook the rafters.

A large wooden chair, its arms were worn dark and smooth from use over the ages, suddenly appeared behind Kris. Taking a seat, Father Christmas opened his hands for Harry to hand him, Anna. At first, Harry was worried as Anna only allowed a few people to touch her, but the squirming child in his arms soon left him little doubt where she wanted to be, and so he handed her over. Anna seemed to have forgotten about the terrible scars that covered her head and body and for once was acting just like a normal child her age. It was the best Christmas present Harry could have received as far as the wizard was concerned.

"Now, I have it on the best of authority," Kris stated with a grin and a quick glance towards Harry, "that you've been an exceptionally good girl this year." Seated on Kris's knee Anna's head bobbed up and down rapidly as she agreed with him. "I can't give you what you've wished for," once more the man's eyes darted to Harry and back again. "At least not yet. Soon, though, I think." Kris added in a whisper only Anna could hear.

Anna sighed in disappointment till she heard the last part. Her one wish was to have a family again. She knew that her family couldn't be brought back. _Dead is dead after all_ , she had reasoned. Having lived through what had happened to her family, as well as herself, Anna was a bit more mature than other five-year-olds. The world was no longer flowers, unicorns and teddy bears for afternoon tea. Magic was real after all, and there were evil men who used it.

Kris reached down beside his chair, and a brown homespun sack appeared. Reaching inside the bag, he pulled out a leather case that was tied shut. "I understand that you're something of an artist," he voiced with a grin as Harry groaned recalling that time. "This should help you with that."

Anna hastily opened the case to find an assortment of brushes, knives, and paints. "Oh thank you, Mister Kringle!" exclaimed the little girl before she leaned in and kissed him on the cheek only to giggle. "It tickles!" she said, meaning the man's beard. Kris joined her in her laughter as did everyone else that had been close enough to overhear the little girl's comment.

While Anna had been receiving her present Susan and the others had not been idle. With the help of the parents, as well as the witches who arrived with Harry, they had started to make a line of children. Kris took a look at the long line forming and came to a decision. "I think I'll need one of my elves to help me here. Luna, would you be so kind to come up here?"

The blonde witch, wearing a huge smile, quickly made her way to the front of the hall. Children stared at Luna in awe as she passed. Many hadn't truly believed the young witch when she had told them that she was an elf of Father Christmas. "I told you," Luna whispered as she passed Tracey and Daphne who both wore looks of stunned disbelief, having been among the disbelievers.

Harry accepted Anna back from Kris and stepped aside as the first or many children, with Luna's help, took Anna's place upon the man's knee. Rather than standing around in the way, Harry set off to find the women in his life and introduce Anna to them. Spotting Hermione's white blouse the young wizard quickly made his way over. The witch, seeing them headed towards her, stepped away from the line of children so that she could greet them both.

"I know you!" Anna exclaimed before Hermione could say anything at all. "You're Hermione Granger. My Harry says that you're the brightest witch of this age. A bit bossy, but frightfully brilliant," the precocious five years old stated with a serious demeanor on her scarred face.

"Yes, well…apparently, _your_ Harry has been telling tales about me somewhat," Hermione stammered with a small smile, her reproachful eyes darting towards Harry more than once. "I'm working on the bossy bit," she hastily added a bit defensively. In the hectic work of getting the children in order, she had momentarily forgotten she was angry with Harry. Anna's comment served to remind the witch that Harry had been keeping things from her, causing the smile to slip from her face.

"Isn't she a bit young for you, Potter?" Tracey quipped as she and Daphne joined the trio. The words had no sooner left her mouth than she wanted to kick herself for saying them. Her frustration was getting the better of her, and once again she had spoken before she had thought.

"I don't know," Harry replied with a grin. He was in far too good of a mood to let anything ruin it. "A bit easier to carry around," the wizard added as he hefted the small girl a bit, eliciting a giggle from Anna which was a sound Harry knew he would never tire of.

"You're just full of surprises today, Harry," said Daphne with a reproachful look. Anna leaned in and whispered something into Harry's ear causing the wizard to chuckle softly. "What?" Daphne couldn't help but enquire as the others looked on.

"It was nothing, Daphne," Harry tried to assure her.

"It sure looked like something," the witch replied, having none of it.

"I told Harry that you were just as pretty as he said you were," Anna offered, causing the blonde witch to blush slightly.

"Go on, tell them what else you said," Harry urged the child in his arms.

"What?" Anna rebelled slightly. "All I said was I thought she would have dressed better."

Daphne's cheeks turned red though this time it was due to embarrassment. _I knew I should have dressed differently. A bit more festive and a little less muggle perhaps. Nothing like a precocious five year old commenting on your fashion sense to put you in your place._ The child's next words nearly broke all their heart.

"You really are very pretty. I hope one day that I'll be as pretty as you are," Anna stated innocently as only a child can. Those gathered knew that if the damage done could be undone then it would have been while the small girl was at St. Mungo's. The sad truth was that Anna would bear her scars for the remainder of her life.

Harry leaned in and planted a kiss on the side of Anna's head. "You already are, Sweetie," he told her.

The afternoon had dipped into the evening before Kris took his leave. The man loved by all dissolved into a flurry of snowflakes and floated up the same exhaust hood he had entered by. Harry had been able to introduce Anna to the other witches as the children were far too occupied with Kris and the presents he was giving to cause any problems. Andi and Anna got on spectacularly well, a fact Harry attributed to Andi having already raised one child and working on a second in Teddy.

The small boy had made an appearance thanks to Winky who had brought him over. Teddy, surrounded by so many other kids lost all control of his ability. The poor boy's features never stopped shifting from the moment he entered the great hall. The only time it paused at all was when Harry took Teddy up for his turn upon Kris' knee. It wasn't long afterward, exhausted from constantly changing his appearance, that Winky took Teddy back to Westfield to tuck him in for the night.

It took some doing, but Harry finally managed to say goodbye to everyone amid cries for him to stay. Anna didn't want to let Harry go but a trip upstairs to tuck her in and read her a story soon saw the girl fast asleep. After a few parting words, mostly telling them that their Yule presents were in their bonuses, Harry said goodbye to Susan, Padma and Parvati. It was a very tired, but surprisingly happy wizard, which led his group of witches back home.

**-oOo-**

The group returned to Westfield Manor to find a fire blazing in the fireplace, the candles on the tree lit and hot tea as well as warm cider awaiting them. The living room was nice and cozy warm thanks to Winky and Kreacher. It had been a long day for them all and a great day for Harry. As the women made themselves, comfortable Harry gave a nod to Luna who hugged him before she hurried over to the fireplace only to disappear in a flare of green flames.

"Where's Luna off to?" Hermione asked.

"She wanted to spend some time with her mum and dad as this was apparently one of their favorite holidays," Harry told them all.

"Isn't it a bit late for her to be out on her own?" Mary inquired in a concerned tone, ever mindful of proprieties and the welfare of the girls within her care.

"Normally yes, but I'm having a bit of work done on the Lovegood property so it should be fairly safe," Harry told Mary to ease her fears. "Not to mention that Luna can cast a mean hex when she has need of one," he added with a reassuring smile, recalling their fight in the Department of Mysteries and just how well the witch had handled herself.

"Mister Potter, I-" the Headmistress started with only to pause upon seeing the wizard's raised hand for her to stop.

"Please Professor, you're in my home, I am no longer your student, and it is Christmas Eve, can't you just call me Harry?" the wizard asked with a small grin.

Minerva's lips bent upwards into a smile as well. "Well, seeing as it is Christmas Eve and all," she replied with a humorous glint in her eye. "Harry, I have to admit that I was really surprised today."

"The day has just been filled with surprises," Hermione mumbled sourly under her breath.

_Understatement of the year_ , Daphne thought to herself. She had been only slightly relieved to discover that Anna was a small child and hence not a threat to her getting closer to Harry. Several other questions though still nagged at the young witch. Chief among those were, _Who are these other women Harry went out on dates with?_

"I have little doubt that Lily and James would be very proud of you and what you are doing for those children and families," the Headmistress stated. "You're not my son, and yet I find myself being proud of you none the less," Minerva told him bluntly. He might not be her son, but he would always be one of her Lions as she saw it.

"Like Minerva, I was equally surprised and touched by what you've done to honor the memory of Dora and Remus," Andi chimed in with quickly. "I know Sirius would be proud as well," she added. "No doubt he would think that using the Black ancestral house and wealth to care for muggles, muggle-born, half-bloods and blood traitors was the best prank ever."

Harry respected both witches and was deeply touched by their kind words. "Well, I'm sure he would find some way to take credit for being the inspiration for it or something," Harry replied with a grin as he stood and made his way over to the Christmas tree before squatting down to get something. "I know I should probably wait till morning to do this but as this is my first real Christmas I find I just can't." Standing and turning back to face those seated on the couches they could see that he had several gift-wrapped packages in his arms.

Harry made his way back over to his seat and set the items in it before selecting one and taking it over to Tracey. "I know we didn't hit it off all that great at first Tracey," Harry said, causing the witch to drop her gaze in embarrassment as the reason for that was all her. Tracey's fear and general hatred of men had caused her to treat Harry very poorly at first. It was still a fact she regretted greatly even if he had forgiven her for it.

Harry reached out and slipping a finger beneath Tracey's chin, lifting it till she once again was looking at him. "Sometimes, you have to wait for things in life. It's not always easy waiting, but the best things in life are worth waiting for. I think I understand that now" Harry said, feeling certain that the witch was waiting for what he had for her. He was just happy he was able to give it to her now rather than after her mother died.

Tracey Davis felt the heat rise in her cheeks at Harry's words, her mind once again replaying just how terrible she had been to him. The touch of his finger under her chin startled her, but as she looked up her eyes met his, all she could do was stare and listen to his words. _He thinks I'm worth waiting for?_ She asked herself in disbelief. Gazing up at Harry she knew at that moment that she had fallen for the man before her. There was no other excuse for the rapid beating of her heart, shortness of breath or the overwhelming desire to lock lips with him right there in front of everyone.

"Tracey?" Harry's brow creased in puzzlement as he had been holding her gift out to her for several moments without any response from the witch. "Are you alright?"

"What? Yes," Tracey replied finally snapping out of her daze and shifting her eyes away from his slightly chapped lips that looked all too delicious. "Just a bit knackered I think," Tracey mumbled as she accepted the gift. The young woman unwrapped the item with hands that were trembling that had nothing to do with the gift she had just received and everything to do with the nearness of the wizard standing in front of her. _Merlin, I want to kiss Harry Potter!_ _What the bloody hell am I thinking?_

The item once revealed proved to be a rolled piece of finely tooled leather, decorative tassels dangled from either side while around the middle was tied a golden cord holding the item closed. Removing the cord carefully Tracey began to unroll the item only to see that there was parchment on the inside. As the writing became, visible Tracey's eyes grew larger and larger. "Where did you get this?" she asked Harry, never taking her eyes from the deed which was fastened to the inside of the piece of enchanted leather.

"I happen to acquire it recently," Harry replied evasively with a small mischievous grin as he enjoyed the befuddled look that had appeared upon Tracey's face.

"Harry, this is the deed for Divine Dresses by Davis. My mother would sooner die than part with this!" Tracey stated as her eyes shot up to look at the wizard for an explanation.

Harry couldn't help but recall how it had all played out.

**-oOo-**

"You're sure this will work?" Harry asked his account manager as the two of them sat within a spacious meeting room within Gringotts awaiting the arrival of the Davises. While it had been his plan, now that it was actually happening Harry wasn't as sure of it as he had been when he proposed it. It was one thing for the Sorting Hat to want to place him in Slytherin but an entirely different thing to actually try and think like one.

"There's no reason why it shouldn't," Bob replied. If the goblin was nervous at all, it didn't show as far as Harry could tell. Bob knew they held all the cards in this meeting, it was only a question of when they would have to show their hand. "It's too late to back out now," the account manager added just before the door opened and an underling announced the Davis couple.

Helen Davis was a different witch from the one that had sat across the table from Harry and tried to sell him her daughter. The dark circles around her eyes, lackluster hair and absence of any jewelry seemed to confirm the information Bob had received that the Davises were scrambling to sell everything they owned. It was apparent that the woman hadn't had a proper night's rest in a while and her clothes were wrinkled and a mess. As bad as she looked, Benjamin Davis looked even worse. No doubt from bearing the brunt of his wife's displeasure.

"It's a pleasure to see you once again Mister Potter," Helen Davis opened with as she extended a hand towards Harry. "Thank you for meeting with us on such short notice."

"The Pleasure is mine," Harry replied, accepting her hand, having risen to his feet upon their entrance. "I hope you're well," Harry offered as he gestured to the empty seats opposite Bob and his own.

"Yes, quite," Mrs. Davis lied as she offered a forced smile before seating herself. Her life had never been worse. _Potter's our last hope_ , she reminded herself as she sat. _I have to play this just right_ , she thought, her eyes shifting towards Bob whom she suspected was the real obstacle. _He was a Gryffindor for Merlin's sake. How hard could this be?_ She asked herself in an attempt to gather her courage.

"Will your account manager be joining us?" Harry asked, looking at the vacant seat next to Mrs. Davis.

"No," Helen replied, "he had another appointment today and was unable to attend on such short notice." She hoped that Harry wasn't aware of the fact that they had closed all their Gringotts accounts which was why they no longer had an account manager.

"I see," said Harry, already well aware of why Crackjaw wasn't present thanks to Bob. "Well, let's get right to it, shall we?" Harry asked with a smile at them both. "We've gone over the numbers and as much as I would like to help it just doesn't seem like a sound investment at this time."

"What!" Helen Davis squawked in disbelief. "I assure you that Tracey is every bit a lady and still retains her purity! She's worth every galleon we're asking for!" _How dare he imply that we're not worth the galleons!_ She screamed within her mind as what she saw as her last chance to avoid the Gnomes was slipping away.

Harry had a difficult time holding his anger in. _I don't even want to know how she knows about Tracey's purity_ , he growled silently, barely managing to keep his expression schooled. "Yes, I'm certain Tracey is a wonderful witch, but I can't help but feel as if it is a bit like slavery, buying her and all I mean." Harry couldn't help but notice that both Davises gave a short shiver at the mention of slavery. "I'm sorry, I just can't do it."

Helen Davis found her perfect world crumbling in on her. Just a few days ago the Gnomes had called in the entire loan owed by the Davises. They had made it perfectly clear that if the loan weren't paid in full, they would claim Divine Dresses as well as the entire Davis family as partial payment. The Gnomes didn't have a problem with slave labor to pay back a debt and were known to sell slaves as a way of recouping their losses.

"No, this can't be," Helen Davis stammered as she shook her head back and forth slowly. "You have to help us Mister Potter! You're our last hope," she pleaded desperately, throwing caution to the wind and going with the truth for once in her life.

Harry did a masterful job of looking remorseful. "I truly am sorry, but you're just not a good investment. It's nothing personal, just business you see." The witch across from him paled only for Harry to see her eyes roll back into her head just before Helen Davis fainted onto the table. Harry quickly levitated the witch over to a couch that was along one wall.

"Thank you, Mr. Potter," Benjamin Davis offered once he made certain his wife was alright, more or less. "We appreciate your time and consideration of our proposal," the head of the Davis House said as he offered Harry his hand.

Harry shook the hand and moved to the second part of his plan. "It's not that Divine Dresses is a bad business mind you. It has good potential I'm told but your customer base is too small and the material too costly as it is right now, Mr. Davis."

"Ben, please," said Mr. Davis.

"Harry then," Harry replied with a real smile. "You know, I may have a way to help us both, Ben. As well as Tracey." Harry glanced to his side and saw he had the man's full attention. "You can sell me Divine Dresses. I'll give you a fair price for it."

Ben's face lost its hopeful look upon hearing Harry's words. "I truly wish I could Mist…Harry. It's written into the deed that it must remain within the Davis family. Only a Davis can own it I'm afraid."

"I wouldn't have it any other way," Harry assured him with a feral grin that would have done Sirius proud.

Thirty minutes later Benjamin Davis sat with inked quill over the last document. Pausing before signing it he looked across the table at Harry once again. "You'll take good care of her? See she has everything she needs and has a good life?" he asked in a concerned tone.

"I swear it on my magic," Harry assured the wizard. "I'll do everything I can for Tracey."

Ben looked over at his wife still asleep on the couch. The money they were receiving from Harry would allow him and his wife to live out the rest of their days in moderate comfort. It was more than a generous offer what with the Gnome loan due in a day. Harry had assured him that he would take care of that as well. Benjamin signed the form and passed it across the table to Harry who pushed it over to Bob.

"Everything is in order, and all forms have been signed in accordance with the agreement and the laws set forth by your Ministry," Bob declared after looking it over and adding it to the stack of other forms that Mr. Davis had signed prior to that one.

Mr. Davis lifted his wand. "I, Benjamin Dent Davis, declare upon my magic as the Head of the Noble House of Davis, Harry James Potter to be my one true heir. Furthermore, I abdicate my position as Head of House, forsaking all claim henceforth." There was a brief flash of light from the tip of the upraised wand as his magic accepted the oath as truth.

Harry looked down as the Davis Head of House ring appeared upon his right hand. For a long moment, Harry just stared at it. "Damn," he finally muttered. Seeing the puzzled look from Ben Harry explained. "I'm now the head of four houses. At this rate, I'll run out of fingers soon."

**-oOo-**

"It was business," Harry answered Tracey. Bob had been rather put out that they had to pay the Gnomes an additional five percent for them to lean on the Davises but Harry felt that if it kept Tracey from being a slave, it was money well spent. "Now it's your business," he added with a crooked grin. The wizard saw Tracey glance down and confirm that it was indeed her name listed as the owner. The next thing Harry knew there was a witch in his arms with her lips attached to his own, attempting to extract his teeth in the most enjoyable manner possible.

"I don't know how I can ever repay you, Harry!" Tracey exclaimed as she finally released her lip-lock on the dazed man. Minerva and Andi both wore an amused expression while others were not so pleased with the impassioned kiss the two had shared. Mary looked on disapprovingly while Daphne and Hermione both wore darkening scowls.

"Monthly payments will do nicely, Tracey," the out of breath Harry managed to get out. The last thing he had expected was for Tracey to kiss him like that, especially in front of everyone else. Not that he was complaining mind you. "I still own the controlling interest in the company till the loan is repaid," he explained to the witch with rapidly blushing cheeks as she realized what she had done. "I guess you're stuck with me for a while yet," he added with a lopsided grin.

Tracey bravely looked Harry in the eye, flaming cheeks and all. "Thank you, Harry. You have no idea what this means to me," Tracey told him, desperately trying to express the multitude of emotions she was feeling at that moment and knowing she was failing miserably. Still, the young woman found the prospect of being tied to Harry for the foreseeable future to be rather exciting.

Harry, a bit embarrassed by the witch's emotional words, gave a slight nod before turning and selecting another gift from the pile he had brought over. Walking over the young man stopped in front of Daphne. "I wanted to get you something that I knew you needed and could use," Harry told her sincerely, his words causing the witch's frown to turn into a small, shy smile. "Other than Hermione, I haven't had much experience with buying gifts for pretty girls. Somehow a book just didn't seem your style," he told her causing Daphne to giggle in agreement. "I hope it's something you wanted," Harry said as he offered her the present.

Daphne eyed the gift, finding it rather hard to stay mad at the man, especially when he referred to her as a pretty girl. Tracey, on the other hand, was another matter. _I'll be having words with her later!_ Whereas Tracey had ripped the paper from her gift, Daphne was very methodical, undoing each piece of tape and unfolding every bend of the paper. When she was done, she held a box that was a little over a foot long and only two or three inches wide. Daphne looked up at Harry with a questioning expression.

"Go on. Open it!" Harry told her, clearly more excited by the present opening than Daphne appeared to be.

Truth be told the young woman's heart was racing as she couldn't tell what it was. At first, she had thought it to be a wand, but the box was a bit wider than what those typically came in. With Harry's urging, she pried the lid off the box and peered inside. Daphne slipped her fingers inside and ran them over the material. "What is this made from?" she asked appreciatively.

"Fire Salamander," Harry replied as he watched Daphne pull the item from the box. The light from the fireplace caught the deep red scales and made them glow softly. The effect was quite beautiful.

"It's a wand holster, isn't it?" Daphne asked, marveling at the beautiful skin and how the light made the scales appear to ignite.

"Yup," Harry stated. "And what goes in a wand holder?" he asked as a grin spread across his face.

"A wand," Daphne replied without thinking before it suddenly clicked. Turning the holster over Daphne saw the end of a wand sticking out of the holster and reached for it. The twelve inch bit of elm with a unicorn hair core felt warm to her touch as she experienced the familiar rush of magic from her own wand as she removed it from the holster. "But how? Father had this?" the witch asked in disbelief, wondering if there was nothing Harry couldn't do.

"While reading over Wizarding etiquette I happened to read someplace that it was the responsibility of the Head of House to notify another House when they were sheltering a member of their family who was under age," Harry explained. "So I owled your father to let him know you were here and I asked for your wand so you could protect yourself."

"And he just gave it to you?" Daphne asked in disbelief certain that there was a catch or something she wasn't being told of.

Harry chuckled nervously. "No, of course not. He's just as you described him, a businessman. Everything has a price. He was worried about the investment that the Greengrass family had in you and specifically your wand. So I bought it from him!" Harry declared looking rather pleased with himself. "Go on, give it a use so I know I got what I paid for," he urged Daphne.

Daphne knew it couldn't be that easy. It does feel good to have my own wand back again, she thought as she got to her feet and prepared to test the wand. " _Lumos!"_ she said clearly only to see the tip of her wand light almost as bright as the band of magic that encircled the ring finger on her left hand. Her eyes, like everyone else there, were drawn to her left hand and the ring that had appeared there with the Black family coat of arms engraved upon it.

Daphne stared at the ring as her mind shot off in every direction at once in an attempt to explain why she was suddenly wearing the Black family marriage ring. _Bloody hell what did I do!_ Was her first thought till she recalled Harry's words to her. 'Go on, give it a use so I know I got what I paid for.' The bright witch started to put two and two together. _Harry contacted my father that first night. No wonder father didn't try to have me brought back home for the marriage contract, he got a better offer! The Sorting Hat wanted to put Harry in Slytherin! Bloody hell, Potter's been playing me all along!_

Harry stepped in to get a better look at the ring, having no clue what it could be. He never saw the witch's fist coming till it impacted his eye. The force of the blow startled him causing Harry to stagger backward and trip over his own feet only to crash spectacularly to the floor.

"You Bastard!" Daphne screamed at Harry, standing over him with her fists clenched in rage. The witch was so mad that she even forgot she had a wand in her hand. When looking back at that moment, it would be a fact Harry was truly thankful for. "I trusted you! I thought you really cared about me! You were just playing me all along, Potter! You filthy Bastard!" Daphne screamed as tears began to run down her face. "I…I even fell in love with you!" she sobbed before racing from the room in tears.

Tracey Davis watched her best friend run from the room in tears before turning towards the wizard on the floor. "What the hell did you do, Potter?" she spat out angrily, demanding an answer. The fact that Daphne had stated she loved Harry surprised Tracey far less than she thought it should have.

"I just wanted to get her wand for her," Harry replied weakly, too shocked to even get up from the floor.

"I'm sure there's a logical explanation for this," Hermione offered, not really sure what to make of what happened. If it had been a few months ago, there would be little doubt that it wasn't Harry's fault, but this Harry was not the same one she knew. Her Harry didn't keep secrets from her. "Let's just calm down and talk about this," Hermione offered as she stood up from her seat.

"Shut it, Granger this doesn't concern you," Tracey snapped, her eyes never leaving Harry. "So you wanted to get her wand and decided to pick up a marriage contract as a bonus gift?" Tracey accused with a sneer that must have seen her channeling her inner Snape. The young witch, having only just realized the depth of her feelings for the man now felt betrayed on several levels. _Why is it every time I trust a guy they do nothing but hurt me?_

"I'm sure Harry didn't mean-," Hermione tried once again.

"Shut your bloody trap, Granger," Tracey yelled, turning to face the other witch. "Your best friend just managed to get himself married to Daphne. That was the Black family ring on her finger which can only be worn by Lady Black who would have to be married to the Head of the Black Family which just so happens to be your best friend!"

"Married?" Hermione squeaked out as the ramifications of what happened were just starting to sink in.

Tracey sneered, "Married. You can forget any romantic thoughts you had for Potter as he's off the market now it seems." The bitter tone of the witch's voice left little doubt of just how displeased Tracey was with what had happened to Daphne.

"Romantic thoughts?" Hermione stammered, trying to deny what she knew she felt for Harry. "I never said-,"

"You never said it, but everyone at school could see it but the two of you," Tracey said, cutting Hermione off once again. "Hell I bet your friend Weasley could even see it!" she added with a triumphant grin at seeing the shocked expression on Hermione's face which told her she wasn't far off the mark probably.

The Head Girl of Hogwarts wouldn't be cowed so easily, though. Hermione had stood with Harry against Death Eaters, Dementors and even Voldemort, she wasn't about to back down now. "Me? What about you, Hotlips?" Hermione fired back causing both Andi and Mary to move closer should they need to intercede between the witches. "Who was trying to suck Harry's tonsils out his mouth just a few minutes ago? Don't think we all haven't noticed your looks at Harry. At least I was brave enough to tell him how I feel!" _Mostly_ , she added silently.

Tracey made to go for her wand when they were both stopped in their tracks. "I think this has gone on for long enough!" Old habits die hard. From years of attending Hogwarts, both witches froze at the sound of the Headmistress's voice. "Now, if Mister Potter would….where is he?" Minerva asked as there was no sign of the missing wizard. Everyone had been so intent upon Hermione and Tracey that they had failed to see Harry slip out of the room.

**-oOo-**

Harry crept down the stairs into the lowest basement, listening intently to make certain no one was following him. The injured wizard had managed to slip away while Tracey and Hermione were engaged in a yelling match. He was still close when Tracey let drop the fact that she believed he and Daphne were now married. _How am I supposed to tell them what happened when even I don't know?_ He asked himself. Spotting two storage crates against a distant wall with some room between them he eased in backward till he hit the back wall before sliding down to sit on the floor. "Bloody hell, how do I get myself into these things?"

Suddenly in his peripheral vision, the long neck of a butterbeer bottle appeared. Harry looked to his left, "Kreacher?" The house elf gave a half-hearted grin from his makeshift hiding place and once more offered the cold butterbeer to Harry. "Thanks," Harry said accepting it.

"She-elves," was all Kreacher said as he tilted his bottle towards Harry.

Harry tapped the neck of his own bottle against Kreacher's, "Women," the confused wizard agreed, having no clue what to do next.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I nearly split this chapter into two separate ones simply due to its length however after the double cliffy in the last chapter I felt it better, as well as safer for my health, to keep it as one chapter. It is now the longest chapter of this story. It was a difficult chapter to write only in that I find it hard to have characters I love and enjoy fighting with each other. Hopefully, I didn't do too terrible a job of it. Drop me a review and let me know.
> 
> As always, your reviews are not required, but they are greatly appreciated.
> 
> Kind Regards,
> 
> EJ Daniels
> 
> All characters within this story, unless otherwise stated are the sole property of J. K. Rowling the original writer of the Harry Potter series.


	17. Luna's Present

**Chapter 17 – Luna's Present  
…**

Luna Lovegood stepped from the floo and was instantly the center of attention of the few witches and wizards who were within the Leaky Cauldron. The petite witch was still dressed in the muggle garb of an elf of Father Christmas after all. The wizards leered suggestively while the witches tsked disapprovingly at such a brazen display of bare skin. Undeterred by either kind of looks the young witch stepped over to the bar and greeted the establishment's owner.

"Merry Yule, Tom," Luna offered the pub proprietor with a warm smile, neither ashamed or embarrassed with her choice of attire. Luna hadn't failed to notice how Harry's eyes had been glued to her chest as she'd bounced down the stairs earlier that day, nor had the young wizard had much success in removing his eyes from that location throughout the day. Luna had even gone out of her way to pass by him several times just to see if Harry would continue to stare…which he had, much to her delight!

"A Merry Yule to you as well, Miss Lovegood," Tom replied as he pulled a rather large handbag from behind the bar and set it on the counter. "I suppose you'll be wanting this?"

"I think it for the best," Luna agreed as she accepted the handbag she had sent by owl earlier that morning. The Cauldron was not the warmest of places, and with nothing under her top, it was becoming readily apparent that she was cold. "Have you a room I might borrow to change?"

Tom gestured with one thumb over his shoulder. "Use the kitchen lass, it's a bit warmer than the other rooms," he told her. "Hanna is in there and will make sure no one will bother you. I'll keep an eye on things out here as well," he added so that she knew he wouldn't let anyone in while she was changing.

"Thank you, kind Sir," Luna replied before making her way to the kitchen. It was only a few minutes, and several explanations to Hanna about her outfit, later that the former Ravenclaw emerged dressed once again in proper witch's attire.

"Off for a bit of last minute shopping are you?" Tom enquired politely upon seeing the young woman again. Receiving a nod from the witch in question he added, "You best hurry then as the shops will be closing early tonight I suspect."

Luna thanked him for his help before making her way to the courtyard behind the pub and from there into Diagon Alley. The Alley was nearly deserted as most witches and wizards were already home with their families and loved ones. Darkness was falling, and the wind had a decidedly sharp bite to it, causing the witch to pull her robes tightly about her. _Families_ , the young witch thought as she stepped over to the Gringotts Cashpoint and using her vault key withdrew galleons from the Lovegood vault via the automated teller machine.

"I don't have any family," Luna mumbled to herself as she slipped the gold coins into her handbag which had shrunk down to a smaller size to match her outfit. _Well, there is Harry_ , she corrected herself as she recalled that her father had made him her magical guardian as well as the Lovegood heir. _So technically speaking he is the head of the Lovegood family now._ _Still, he's not really related to me_ , she told herself silently as she made her way down the street.

_If only Daddy hadn't made Harry swear that oath_ , she growled in frustration to herself. If not for the oath she would have no qualms pursuing a lasting relationship with the bespectacled wizard. _If that led to children and a family someday, all the better_ , she mused as her cheeks blushed warmly at the thought. _Harry is so kind and sweet he most certainly would be a gentle lover and a loving father_ , the petite woman thought as her heart did backflips within her chest.

The young witch stopped at Amanuensis Quills and purchased a set of matching quills and Everfill inkwells for Daphne and Tracey, feeling that as the two were almost always together, they themselves were somewhat of a matching set as well. _Harry has been terribly sweet to me_ , Luna thought, continuing her soliloquy as she left the shop and continued on her way down the Alley. The few passersby were in too much of a hurry to finish their shopping and get home to notice the witch lost in her ruminations.

The mere thought of the wizard filled her being with warmth and brought forth a smile upon her features that threatened to remain there for days to come. The young witch hadn't forgotten about their picnic or how caring Harry had been when he had come to Hogwarts for her. The days after her father's death had seen the young wizard almost never leaving her side. It was a fact that, in looking back, had cemented her feelings for the wizard. Luna still missed falling asleep with Harry's arms around her.

"I truly am in love with Harry Potter," she admitted to herself for the first time just before stepping into the Junk Shop. It wasn't long before she emerged, an obscure book titled _Prefects Who Gained Power_ , safely tucked within her handbag as a gag gift for Hermione. "So what do I do about it?" she asked herself, picking up her thoughts once again as soon as she stepped out the shop as if she had left them at the door to await her return. Just as one might do with a wet umbrella on a rainy day.

The bright witch had not been sorted into Ravenclaw on a fluke after all so she could well and truly see what was happening. _I am not the only one that has feelings for Harry_ , she admitted to herself. _One would have to be blind and deaf not to have noticed the love that Hermione and Harry hold for each other._ _Granted, being able to see and hear didn't seem to be able to allow either of them to see what was right before them both_ , she scoffed both amused as well as frustrated by their obliviousness. The witch was ever so happy that they had apparently finally acknowledged their feelings for one another.

Doing a little window shopping, Luna couldn't help but feel a bit guilty about falling for Harry, especially as she knew of Hermione's feeling for the man. _It's not my fault Harry has such a big heart_ , she told herself thus by justifying her actions somewhat. _That man has a limitless ability to love others, often at the expense of himself_ , she reasoned. The open minded witch didn't see an issue with Harry loving Hermione or anyone else so long as the wizard loved her as well. _Harry has a large enough heart for all of us_.

Luna's feet brought her to Obscurus Books next. Early on in the creation of Hermione's library, she had noticed it lacked something. _Harry may have built the library but I know who it is truly for_ , she thought with a small smile at just how thoughtful Harry could be. Since moving into Westfield Luna had been finding herself in the library more often than not. _Hermione's not the only one that enjoys a good read_ , she thought with a slightly amused smile. A short stop in and soon the witch was leaving the shop with a new unabridged copy of _Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them_ safely stored in her handbag for Hermione.

The closing of the shop door saw her once again picking up her thoughts of the wizard who most certainly held her heart and several others less she missed her guess. _I am really glad to see that Harry hasn't allowed house prejudices to inhibit him_ , she mused. Everyone knew of the hostilities between the Gryffindor and Slytherin houses at Hogwarts. _Students such as Draco and Ronald are very good at ensuring that such hatred continues on_ , she thought with a small resigned sigh. Luna was bright enough to realize that there would always be those who disliked others for any number of contrived reasons. Hatred was just the opposite of love and kept the world balanced after all. _Love, hate, happiness, sadness, light and dark, they all have their place in the world_.

"I must admit that I didn't expect him to take up with not just one but two Slytherin witches," she mumbled as she proceeded down the Alley, bypassing Gringotts in favor of entering Potage's Cauldron Shop. Several galleons lighter the witch left the shop having purchased an Apothecary grade cauldron for Andi. The item would be delivered to the daughter of the Black family at St. Mungo's as Luna didn't want to give out Harry's address without his permission.

_I knew that if there were anyone who could reach Tracey it would be my Harry_ , she mused silently as she meandered along the Alley, peeking into windows here and there. _She was much like a caterpillar_ , Luna thought. _It just took Harry to turn her into a beautiful butterfly_ , Luna realized with a quirky smile at the image that brought to mind _._ The young girl's feet and thoughts soon led her to Rosa Lee Teabag where she purchased two gift baskets of tea. One for Mary and one for Headmistress McGonagall.

_Daphne was a bit of a surprise_ , Luna admitted as she once again stepped out into the alley. _As pretty as she is, I would have thought that she would have gone after someone else_. _Not that Harry isn't worth having_ , she hastily added. The witch strolled along past Scribbulus Writing Instruments and Slug & Jiggers Apothecary without stopping in as she didn't believe she would find anything there for Harry. Luna's lips turned upward into a smile. _Still_ _, Daphne does have great taste in wizards!_

Twilfitt and Tatting's was soon passed as Luna didn't feel that Harry would enjoy the upscale clothing that was offered there. Luna stopped at Whizz Hard Books and picked up a title she had meant to get for some time, _Hairy Snout, Human Heart_. It had been highly recommended by the late Headmaster Albus Dumbledore who had stated it was a heartrending account of one wizard's struggle with lycanthropy. As the witch stepped back out onto the street, she realized she was quickly running out of shops.

_Daphne has been rather good for Harry_ , Luna reflected. The wizard had been a bit more relaxed as well as flirtatious, facts Luna attributed to Daphne's presence. _He certainly is having a great deal more fun these days_ , the young witch thought, recalling hearing about a certain trip to a women's store. _I'll have to see if I can't get Harry to take me as well_ , she mused with a naughty smile. Turning about the petite blonde made her way back along the opposite side of the Alley, quickly passing the Daily Prophet offices as well as the ones for Ministry Press.

Luna meandered along the lane, pausing to look in windows but failing to find anything for Harry. Wiseacre's Wizarding Equipment was skipped as was Madam Malkin's Robes for All Occasions as Luna believed Harry had what he needed already. For a moment she pondered going to Magical Menagerie but recalling what had happened to Hedwig, she passed it as well as Eeylops Owl Emporium, not wishing to have Harry remember such a painful memory.

The young witch suddenly came to an abrupt halt in front of Madam Primpernelle's Beautifying Potions. Not because she thought Harry needed wart remover of an ointment for flaky skin but rather because she had a sudden revelation. _Everyone gives Harry something that he needs!_ The young witch had realized with a bit of surprise. _Hermione is his closest friend and has always been there for him as well as being brilliantly smart._ Daphne was playful and had a keen grasp of wizarding customs as well as being ambitious and cunning enough to keep Harry from making social mistakes.

_Tracey…she fulfills Harry's need to save people_ , Luna reasoned silently. _Even Andi fills the place of a loving relative._ "So what of me? What can I give Harry?" Luna asked herself. The blonde witch didn't have an answer for that question. _Daddy has already given Harry everything we own_ , she recalled. Harry being the head of the Lovegood family meant that everything was his.

The bright witch's mind shot off, trying to determine exactly where she fit into everything. It was readily apparent to her that Harry had everything he needed and that there was truly nothing that she could give him that the others couldn't. Lost in thought, Luna wondered past Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes, Quality Quidditch Supplies, Ollivanders and the remaining stalls and shops.

The former Ravenclaw prefect once more thought over all that had happened and just what Harry meant to her. Her deduction also revealed that she had been thinking almost non-stop about the wizard while in the Alley. _I miss Harry_ , she admitted with a sad little pout as she continued along. The witch froze once again in realization. _I can't stop thinking about Harry!_ Without meaning to Luna realized that she had accidently completed the final requirement.

Slowly the witch started moving once again as she tried to decide if that was a bad thing or a good thing and just what it meant for her relationship with Harry. In the end, she concluded that it didn't matter as it was already a done thing, so she turned her mind once more to Harry. By the time she had reached the wall to the Leaky Cauldron, she had found something, that while not unique to her, she could certainly do for Harry. It was a much happier witch that waved bye to Tom upon returning to the pub before stepping to the fireplace only to disappear once again into the floo network.

**-oOo-**

_Bloody hell!_ Harry swore to himself. _How does my life always become so complicated?_ The young man took another pull from his butterbeer before following it up with a gulp of firewhiskey. As no one had come searching for him as yet Harry assumed that Hermione and Tracey were still going at it. Only the presence of the Headmistress and the others prevented him from being worried that the confrontation would escalate into something more than an exchange of heated words.

_It's not like I don't have my own problems to worry about_ , Harry mused silently, setting aside the arguing women upstairs for the moment. _Married? Married to Daphne!_ Harry tried to wrap his head around that fact and as before, really couldn't. Nearly seven years of suspecting Snape and Draco of trying to hurt him had honed his natural self-preservation instincts to a razor's edge. _Just because I'm paranoid doesn't mean there isn't someone after me. Let's not forget to mention having Voldemort set on my demise every year while at Hogwarts_.

The fact that Gerald Greengrass had set him up was abundantly clear to the young wizard. _How purchasing a wand can lead to a marriage is beyond me_ , Harry thought. _Not that it really matters as apparently it's a done deal already_ , he realized, recalling how the Black wedding ring had appeared upon Daphne's finger. Magic like that didn't make mistakes after all. _If it did no one would use it then_ , he reasoned as he took another gulp of the firewhiskey, enjoying the slow burn as it made its way down his throat.

_That leaves me with only one real question, was Daphne a part of it?_ With Snape and Draco, their actions had made it pretty much apparent that they disliked Harry and would have felt little remorse if the Dark Lord had offed him as Tom had intended. It wasn't until nearly the end of the war that Harry had found out just how brave Snape had been. _Or stupid, depending on how you want to look at it_ , Harry ruminated. A part of the young wizard wished that things had turned out differently and that Snape was actually still alive.

_The trouble is that Daphne didn't display any of their typical behavior. Either she didn't know what her father was doing, or she is the best actress in the world_ , he speculated silently. _So either I am married to someone who wants to harm me or I'm married to someone who now truly hates me_. Neither were a promising prospect for a quiet life with a large happy family. The young man drained the last of the whiskey only to have the elf beside him refill his class.

"Thank you, Kreacher," Harry said automatically. The old elf had been kind enough to pop away and fetch the strong alcohol for him when Harry had asked for it. _If ever there was an occasion to get drunk this certainly has to be it_ , Harry reasoned as he took another gulp of the fiery liquid and followed it with a pull from his butterbeer.

_Add Tracey to the list of witches that now hate me._ The fact that Hermione had tried to come to his defense earlier gave Harry some hope that they could remain friends. That they could apparently only be friends truly hurt him as he had been hoping for a great deal more. _So much for brown bushy haired babies_ , he thought sadly recalling the image of their children he had in his mind. At least with Andi, they were family so he hoped that she would give him a chance to explain and allow him to remain a part of Teddy's life.

The same could be said for Luna though he wasn't looking forward to telling the petite witch what had happened. Harry was fairly certain that Luna was developing feelings for him as well. _I know I certainly have feelings for her_ , he finally admitted to himself. The thought of life with the young witch brought a warm smile to his face till he recalled he was married now and any such life was surely gone. _Bloody hell I hate my life sometimes!_

Harry's head began to hurt from all the thinking. Try as he might he just couldn't decide what he was to do next. _Right now it's the middle of the night on Christmas Eve so there isn't anything I can do_ , he finally decided. _I'll drink a bit more then head to bed I guess_. Draining the last of his butterbeer, he set the empty bottle aside only to be handed another by Kreacher. Harry turned his head and regarded the elf for a long moment. "Winky."

Kreacher let out a long-suffering sigh before answering. "Winky," the old elf confirmed.

"Would it be better if I were to order her to leave you be?" Harry offered, hating the idea as he disliked ordering his elves to do anything. _Still, if I can't help myself, maybe I can at least help Kreacher_.

"No," Kreacher replied with a slow shake of his head. "Young Master is very kind, but he does not like to order elves about." Every elf was quick to learn the likes and dislikes of their owners so that they could serve them to the best of their abilities. Kreacher was no different and knew that Harry would hate to issue such an order to any elf in his service.

Harry took a sip of the whiskey and followed it up with some butterbeer. "Would it really be so terrible?" he asked in a slightly curious but mostly confused tone. Having no real understanding of how relationships worked between elves Harry didn't see a problem with what Winky was asking. Then again he was no expert on relationships be they elf or human. _What do I know? Maybe it's some kind of mating ritual they have to go through, playing hard to get and all._

It was several long moments before Kreacher answered. "No, not terrible," the aged elf admitted before taking a long pull from his own bottle of butterbeer.

"Then what's the problem?" Harry enquired. It was far easier to think about someone else's problems than his own at the moment.

"Winky deserves better," was the old elf's response. "Kreacher has not always been a good elf, as Young Master knows," Kreacher confessed. "Kreacher would not want that to follow Winky or the baby."

Harry thought that over for a long moment as he formulated his response. "Kreacher, I've not always been good either," the young wizard finally said only to receive a look of disbelief from the elf beside him. "Honestly," Harry assured him. "I think we all do things we later regret," he said, recalling his own relationship with Hermione and how he had often sided with Ron in their arguments. _There were many times when I wasn't a very good friend to her or Ron_.

"People can change. Elves can too," Harry continued with. "Look at Regulus. He saw that he had made a mistake and decided to do the right thing to atone for his actions. It was because of that we were able to obtain the necklace and finally destroy it. It's alright to make mistakes Kreacher. It is what we do afterward, how we atone for our shortcomings that rightfully matter." Harry knew that mentioning Regulus would snare the elf's full attention.

"In the end, your former master Regulus was a hero," Harry told Kreacher only to see the elf take on a proud expression. "You rallied the Hogwarts elves and led them into battle. That sounds more like a hero to me. I'm certain that Regulus would have been proud of you then just as he would be proud of the elf you've become." Harry saw the elf's chest swell slightly as Kreacher sat up straighter upon hearing his words. "Winky and any baby would no doubt be proud to have you as a part of their lives. I know I'm glad that you're a part of mine."

The two of them sat in silence for several minutes as Harry nursed his drinks and Kreacher thought of his master's word. Several times Harry heard the old elf mumble ' _Regulus was a hero_ ' and ' _Regulus would be proud of me_.' Harry finished his butterbeer and was about to ask for another one when there was a soft _pop_ , announcing the arrival of a house elf.

"Found you!" Luna's cheerful voice came from out of the darkness just before the witch spoke _Lumos_ and blinded the two males.

"Bloody hell!" Harry exclaimed, hastily raising one hand to shield his eyes from the bright light. After sitting in total darkness for so long, the sudden light was like looking directly at the sun.

"Language, Harry!" Luna admonished even as she dimmed the light down to a much lower level to spare the wizard seated upon the floor.

"Sorry," Harry offered automatically, having been well trained by Hermione. "How did you find me?"

"Winky did not know that Master Harry did not wish to be disturbed," Winky offered in a doleful tone.

"It's alright Winky," Harry was quick to assure the distressed elf. "You're correct in that I didn't tell you not to bring anyone to me."

"Harry, we need to talk," Luna cut in with before the wizard could say anything further. "Alone," she added as her eyes darted over to Kreacher and then back to the seated wizard.

The wizard sighed heavily. _Now's as good a time as any_ , Harry reasoned. "Kreacher, Winky, could you excuse us please?" Harry didn't feel he needed an audience when he told Luna what had happened while she was gone.

The old elf stood and brushed the dust from his tux before walking over to Winky and taking her hand somewhat hesitantly on his own. "Winky will come with Kreacher." Winky's eye grew large upon having her hand taken and told to go with him, but she none the less gave a slight nod. There was a _pop_ as the two elves disappeared leaving the witch and wizard alone.

_Someone's getting lucky tonight_ , Harry thought with a smirk only to realize that he wouldn't be and might never get lucky, ever! "I'm actually glad you're here, Luna as there is something I need to tell you as well," Harry said, seeing no reason to delay the inevitable.

"Ladies first, Harry," Luna chided him gently with a playful smile only to see the wizard nod in acceptance. "Do you recall the oath you gave Daddy at St. Mungo's?"

Harry fidgeted, crossing his legs at the ankles where they stretched out before him. _Of course, I recall the oath though I haven't a clue as to what I exactly agreed to_. His solicitors were still working on the matter and hoped to have an answer for him after the New Year. The nervous wizard simply gave a nod by way of reply, not trusting his voice at the moment.

"Do you recall the words of the oath, Harry?" Luna pressed.

"That I would care and provide for you," Harry summarized.

"Shelter and hearth, which you have given me when you allowed me to live in your home," Luna clarified. "Protection, which you have also given me both in furthering my education as well as being the head of the Lovegood family. That comes with an obligation to protect anyone who is a Lovegood."

"I would protect you anyways, Luna, even if I weren't the head of your family," Harry assured her. "I'm only holding the family name till you're of age then you can have it back."

Luna smiled warmly at the wizard's heartfelt words and kind offer. _Is there any wonder why we love him so much?_ She mused. "It's not really that simple Harry. The head of the family, or House as it is commonly referred to in our world, can only be passed down to a male heir," Luna explained.

"Great," Harry growled as he reached for his glass of whiskey and took a healthy swig of the liquid. _So the children I may very well never have is the only way to ensure the continuation of the Lovegood name_. It took only a second for Harry to cotton on that the same held true for the Potter and Davis houses as well then. _At this rate even the Black line may die out_ , he realized. _I just can't see Daphne agreeing to allow me to touch her after everything that has happened_. Harry was fairly certain he'd be fortunate to still have his bits attached after their next meeting.

"May I?" Luna asked as she approached and knelt by Harry's feet.

Harry looked at the glass of firewhiskey in his hand that Luna had gestured to and with a mental shrug passed it over to her. _Maybe if she is good and drunk she'll take the news that the Lovegood line died out with her father better_ , the man's addled brain reasoned. It was with some surprise that the wizard saw the witch down the remainder of the beverage in one long gulp before holding the glass out for more. Harry picked up the bottle of Blishen's Firewhiskey next to him and dutifully refilled the glass.

Luna took another long drink of the liquor, feeling as though she needed the additional courage for what was coming next. "Do you mind if I…umm…turn the light off, Harry?" the suddenly nervous witch asked as she passed the mostly empty glass back to the wizard before her.

Harry drained the glass and quickly refilled it. "Please," he replied only to be plunged into complete darkness as Luna canceled her spell almost before the words had left his mouth. _Much better_ , he mused as the light had been hurting his eyes. Harry puzzled over just where to begin when he was stopped by the petite witch's voice.

"Before visiting Mummy and Daddy tonight I stopped by Diagon Alley for some last minute shopping," Luna confessed with a nervous tremor in her voice. "I didn't have any money on me, so I had to pull some from the Lovegood vault."

"That _is_ why you have your key, Luna," Harry said, seeing nothing wrong with her actions, though they did remind him of something. "I still need to give you your present."

"That's sweet, Harry," Luna offered with a warm smile that the wizard couldn't see. "Stay focused now, please," she directed as she leaned forward and slowly crawled along the wizard's legs, straddling them in the process. "Do you recall what else you promised Daddy?"

Harry mind was much like a motor running on only three cylinders, that is to say, that it was running rather roughly. The young wizard took another long pull of the firewhiskey as Luna made herself comfortable in Harry's lap. "Not really," Harry confessed as he set the glass aside in favor of grasping the witch's hips and pulling her in a bit snuggly. Drunken hormones are terribly demanding things after all. "Was there something else?" he asked, proud of the fact that he had as yet slurred a word.

"Two things actually," Luna replied a bit breathlessly, feeling that Harry pulling her closer was a good thing and bode well for what she had in mind. "I suspect the first thing will certainly lead to the second one," she told him bit evasively. "You swore to share the bounty of your family with me. By bounty that means the wealth of your family, Harry." _I can't believe I forgot that as the Head of the Lovegood family the money in the Lovegood vault is Harry's_ , she admonished herself.

Harry's head cleared a little. A change of blood flow to a southerly direction will do that sometimes. "I don't see the issue, Luna. If you need anything I have, you know you're more than welcome to it. I meant what I promised Mr. Lovegood. As long as I'm alive and you have need of it, I will take care of you!"

Luna leaned in and captured Harry's lips in a hungry kiss as she pressed her body against his. Her hands were tangled within Harry's dark locks even as the man's hands traversed her back and sides. It was several long moments before the young witch broke their kiss and rested her head against the wizard's. "I love you," she breathed out ethereally.

Harry's alcohol fogged mind caught the witch's words and replayed them several times before they finally made any sense at all. "What?" he articulated rather brilliantly.

Luna squirmed a bit nervously as she awaited Harry's reply. The man remained silent for so long that she thought he might reject her. As she was fairly certain that it wasn't Harry's wand in his pocket she was feeling beneath her she could only hope for the best. Harry's answer when it came was a bit confusing. "I love you, Harry Potter," Luna reiterated firmly.

"Really?" Harry heard himself ask in disbelief. Shifting from a pleasant snog to a serious topic such as love was forcing the young man's brain to engage and think when it really didn't want to.

"Really, really," Luna replied with a small grin. Several long moments passed without anything further being said. "Are you alright?" Luna finally asked, with growing concern for the man beneath her.

There was a soft, quiet sniffle. "No one had told me that before," Harry confessed, overcome by emotions and not really certain how to handle them. Harry was fairly certain that his parents had told him that they loved him but he had no memory of it. Other than his parents' ghosts, no one had openly admitted to loving him. _Sure Hermione and I sign our mail that way, but that is just mail_ , he reasoned. _Hermione signs all her letters that way_. It was an entirely different matter to hear someone actually say that they loved him.

"Oh, Harry," Luna said softly as she reached out and caressed his face only to feel the tears that she knew would be there. Slipping her arms around Harry's neck, she pulled him into a hug and held him tightly even as the wizard's arms wrapped around her and crushed her to his person.

Harry buried his face into Luna's chest and clung to her as the alcohol induced stupor was momentarily pushed back. "I love you too, Luna," he stated after a few minutes of being held. The witch's arms tighten about him upon hearing his words making him feel every bit wanted as much as he wanted Luna in his life. His mind replayed the events of that evening, and he mentally chuckled. _Only my life could have so much upheaval in such a short period of time._

Something else caught his attention though which finally caused him to lean back and regard the young witch in his lap. Enough time had passed that his eyesight was adjusting to the darkness and he could just make out Luna's quizzical expression in the dim lighting filtering down the stairs. "You said there were two things?" he prompted her.

Luna could feel the heat rising in her cheeks at his question. "Yes, there is one other thing. Having met all the requirements of the oath you need only give me a family," she said in a rush only to be met by stunned silence. "Merry Christmas!" Luna tittered after several agonizing long moments passed in silence.

Harry listened to Luna's nervous laughter as his mind puzzled over what he was supposed to do. "Family?" he final asked. "Just how am I supposed to do that?" he asked, uncertain and unwilling to have Luna adopted by some other family when he needed her so much in his.

"Well, I've never done it before," Luna explained with a nervous tremor in her voice as she sat back a bit. "But you're a guy, and I'm a girl so it should be fairly natural I should think. I mean how hard can it be? You'll be gentle with me, won't you, Harry? I've heard that the first time can be rather painful for the girl," Luna rambled on nervously, her uncertainty getting the better of her. She wasn't even sure that Harry would want to give her a family.

"What?" Harry asked as his mind shut down there by proving to Luna that if you want something done you really had to do it yourself where males were concerned.

_Mummy told me that, but I didn't believe her_ , mused the young witch. "It's alright Harry," Luna said as she laid a gentle hand on the wizard's chest only to feel his heart beating a mile a minute. _Great, he's as scared as I am_. "It's just sex, Harry. Couples do it all the time. Without it we would have died off as a species a long time ago," she told him, dropping into lecture mode as she had seen Hermione do countless times over the years.

Harry calmed somewhat upon hearing the tone of Luna's voice. Ivan Pavlov would be so proud! Harry, like most men the world over, opened his mouth and spoke before he thought. "Luna," the wizard said in a soft tone as he reached up and captured the hand upon his chest in his own, "it would never be ' _just sex_ ' with you. I love you, and while I don't know much about love, I'm certain it would not be just sex with you. Ever."

The snogging that followed his words lasted for several minutes and left both participants gasping for air. The two sat and tried to catch their breath for a long minute before Luna got unsteadily to her feet. The young witch hadn't had much to eat, and the firewhiskey she had drunk not all that long ago was the first in her young life. "Come on Harry," Luna said as she held her hand out to the wizard. "I want my Christmas present, then you can have yours."

Harry accepted the hand up and then swayed unsteadily as alcohol and vertigo surged through his system and took control of his body as well as his mind. Harry, leaning on the smaller witch, led the way up the stairs to the floor above them. He was rather proud of the fact that he didn't fall back down the stairs upon reaching the top of them. _It's the small achievements in life that matter_ , he thought amusedly to himself. It was only a small walk down a hall before Harry paused before a closed door. "It's in there," he told Luna.

The witch didn't need to be told twice and hastily opened the door, not really knowing what to expect. Whatever she had thought it might be it certainly wasn't was awaiting her. "How?" Luna asked as her eyes misted up upon seeing what her present was. The witch slowly stepped into the room and rested one hand lovingly upon the aged metal.

Harry leaned drunkenly against the doorjamb and grinned, glad that he had been able to surprise her with this. "I'm Harry Potter. There isn't anything I can't do," he replied in a teasing voice.

Luna ran her hand along the frame as she walked around the item. There on one side was the picture of a Crumple-Horned Snorkack that she had drawn when she was five. That confirmed that it was indeed the Lovegood printing press that had been used to publish the Quibbler. "But it was crushed when our house collapsed," Luna pointed out.

"I had it excavated and restored," Harry explained. "I know how much the Quibbler meant to you and your father. I thought you might want to start publishing it once again," he added with an embarrassed shrug at the loving look the witch was giving him.

"You are the sweetest and most thoughtful man alive," said Luna as she crossed the room and wrapped the wizard in a hug, burying her face in his chest. "I love you, Harry," she said as she felt his arms enfold her. "Now take me upstairs to your room so I can show you just how much!"

_Far be it from me to argue with a pretty witch_ , the alcohol told Harry. A small voice in the back corner of Harry's mind asked what about Daphne or Hermione or the others, but he wasn't really listening to it. Luna loved him as no other, and after all that he had been through and was apparently still going through, he felt that he was due a little love in return. "Merry Christmas to me!" Harry answered with a grin before disapparating them both directly up to his four-poster bed.

**-oOo-**

Opening one crusty eye Harry regarded the canopy above his bed. The poor wizard's head hurt and throbbed painfully with each beat of his heart. His mouth tasted like one of Madam Pomfrey's potions had matted with a bottom of his Gryffindor Quidditch locker and then had deposited the offspring to someplace just behind his lips and before his furry tongue. "Bloody hell, what was I thinking," Harry moaned as he threw one arm over his eyes to block out the insolent light that dared to slip past the bed curtains.

In a flood of memories, the events of the previous evening came rushing back to Harry, effectively making him feel even worse than he had a moment before. _Poor Daphne_ , was his first thought. _I'm lucky she didn't hex me into oblivion_. The rest of the night played out behind his eyes causing him to remove his arm and hesitantly crack open an eye to regard the bed next to him. _Empty? Luna must have been an alcohol-fueled dream then_ , he thought with some relief.

The wizard's relief was short lived as he heard the sound of the loo being flushed in the room adjacent to his bedroom. It was only a minute or two before a very naked Luna pushed aside the bed curtains. Harry watched as the young witch froze as soon as she noticed him regarding her. The surprised wizard couldn't help but crack a grin as he could have sworn Luna thrust out her chest a bit as if to proudly show off her assets. Not that he minded in the least!

"Like what you see?" Luna asked brazenly even though she could feel her cheeks heating up rapidly under the wizard's intense gaze. The young witch wasn't as large as Andi, or even as big as Tracey was, but she wasn't small either. _I still have a bit of growing to do yet_ , she believed.

Harry's smile turned into a full on grin. "You have no idea!" he told her, the truth slipping out before he could stop himself. His answer must have been the right one as Luna's face lit up in a blinding smile as she slipped under the covers and slid over to snuggle into the shocked wizard's side.

"Good answer," she told Harry, giving him a kiss as a reward. Several minutes passed where Luna snuggled in to get warm, and Harry enjoyed the feeling of the naked witch's body against his own. Harry's arm was around her, and his hand was caressing Luna's back in the most distracting of manners. "So, are you going to tell me how you got that black eye?" Luna finally asked. She hadn't noticed while in the basement as it was rather dark there and then later… _well, we were rather busy_ , she thought with a slight grin, recalling the present she had given the man next to her.

The hand caressing Luna's back stopped for a moment as the wizard froze in fear. _What do I tell her?_ Harry thought in a panic. His mind raced, thinking of several excuses for what happened but in the end, he simply gathered his vaunted Gryffindor courage and told her the truth. "I'm married."

Luna's heart swelled with love for the wizard beside her as a smile spread once more across her features. The young witch snaked her left arm out from under the covers and held it up for them both to see. "Of course we are, Harry," Luna replied, showing him the wedding ring on her ring finger. "I was there for it after all," she reminded him.

Harry eyed the ring with some confusion for a long moment. "Wait, how can that be?" he voiced aloud. _I'm married to Daphne. How is it possible that I'm married to Luna as well?_

Memories of asking Luna to marry him surfaced in his head. He had just been about to accept her present to him when he had asked her to marry him. He recalled at the time his thoughts were that he wanted some choice in who he married. He loved Luna, and she had told him that she loved him as well, which was more than anyone else had ever told him. Luna had accepted just before he had entered her, but neither noticed the flash of magic when the ring appeared. Harry because he was lost in the pleasurable sensation and Luna because she was distracted by the pain of losing her virginity.

"I admit that I was a bit surprised when you asked, Harry, but it was very sweet and romantic of you," Luna replied. The bright witch didn't think it was the magic of Harry's oath making him ask, which made it all the more special. The oath, given time, would have seen Harry gifting her with a family in the form of a child eventually. _It probably would have taken a year or more though for it to get to that point_ , she reasoned. _At least I think so_.

Harry sighed heavily realizing that Luna, having been gone to see her parents last night, hadn't a clue as to what had happened with Daphne and the others. The last thing Harry wanted to do was hurt Luna, but he knew that she would discover the fact sooner or later. He had never lied to the former Ravenclaw witch, and he didn't really want to start now. In slow, hesitant words, the brave wizard relayed the events of the previous evening to the witch next to him.

"There was a flash of magic, and suddenly the Black marriage ring appeared upon Daphne's finger. The next thing I knew she had cold-cocked me in the eye and I was on the floor. Daphne left in tears just as Hermione and Tracey started to exchange heated words. I figured it was a good time to make strategic withdraw." Harry confessed. "Not one of my stellar moments, I admit," he added.

Luna lay there and pondered what Harry had said for several long moments before she said anything. "So Daphne received the Black marriage ring while I have the Lovegood one," she said as if weighing her own words. "I've never heard of someone being married to two witches at the same time, Harry," the bright witch admitted. "Then again I've never heard of anyone being the head of so many houses before either."

"Bloody hell! How do I get myself into these things?" Harry exclaimed in frustration.

"Language, Harry," Luna admonished before leaning in and giving him a peek on the cheek. "I'm sure we'll figure this out."

Harry sighed sadly. "You might have made a mistake, Luna. Maybe you'd be better off without me," he told the witch next to him.

Luna rolled over onto Harry and straddled him before sitting up, the covers sliding off to reveal both their nakedness. Listen to me, Harry James Potter!" she said in a fierce tone of voice. "I love you and now that I'm yours and you are mine I am not giving you up for anyone! Not even you! I may be willing to share you, but I will never let you go, no matter what! So just forget any foolish Gryffindor notion you may have of sparing me your life. We're a team and are in this together!"

Harry didn't know exactly how to respond to the irate witch's words. It was abundantly clear to him that no matter what Luna would always be by his side, then again she always had been ever since Dumbledore's Army in fifth-year. The petite blonde had been with him in the failed trip to the Department of Mysteries, the escape from Malfoy Manor and had seen him through the rough time when he buried Dobby. Harry looked up into Luna's fiery silver eyes and said the only thing he could. "I truly love you, Luna."

Luna smiled softly upon hearing his words, believing that Harry wasn't going to fight her on the matter and attempt to get rid of her. "I love you too, Harry," she replied. "As much as I would love to show you again just how much, I'm still a bit sore from last night," she admitted with a slight blush.

Harry blushed as well. "I'm sorry if I hurt you, Luna," he offered a bit awkwardly. Neither had truly known what they were doing so there was a great deal of fumbling around before they got it right. Harry didn't like the thought that he had hurt her in any way.

Luna waved his apology away with one hand, her movement making her assets sway and jiggle in a distracting manner. "It can't be helped, Harry. You can always make it up to me later," she said with a coy smile only to realize that the wizard's eyes were several inches below her face at the moment.

With a supreme effort, Harry tore his gaze away from the bare breasts before him and looked up and into Luna's eyes. "I'll do my best," he told her with a small smile. "What do we do now?" he asked, returning to the topic they had been discussing.

"For now we do nothing," Luna answered as she rolled off the wizard, much to his dismay, and arranged the pillow to prop herself up in bed. "I don't know about you, but I'm famished!"

Harry's stomach let out a loud rumble before the wizard could say anything. "Apparently I am as well," the man replied as he propped himself up in bed beside his new wife. "Winky," Harry called only to be answered by the telltale pop of house elf arrival.

"How may Tibby be of service to Master Harry and his Misses?" the elf asked.

"Where's Winky?" Harry asked, surprised that the she-elf didn't come herself.

"Winky and Kreacher be unavailable today, Master Harry," Tibby answered with a joyful smile.

Harry smiled knowingly. "Please tell them to take as long as they need."

"Of course, Master Harry," the elf answered with a slight bow.

"How are the others after last night," Harry enquired, dreading the answer.

"Headmistress McGonagall returned to Hogwarts last night with Misses Hermione," Tibby stated. "Misses Black and Misses Tracey left for Greengrass Manor as well. Misses Andi is off to work already and Misses Mary is still asleep."

It took a moment for Harry to realize that Misses Black was in reference to Daphne. "So they left," Harry said softly, disheartened that even Hermione had apparently fled his company. _Not that I blame Hermione or any of them for that matter. I'm sure they all hate me right now_ , Harry mused. It was the feeling of Luna's hand slipping into his which finally broke him from his thoughts.

"It will be alright, Harry," Luna assured him. She was well aware that the witches who had left were in love with Harry. She could but hope that given time they would return to Westfield and the man beside her. "Give them some time, and then we'll figure this all out," she added in what she hoped was an encouraging tone.

"Thanks, Luna," Harry replied, offering her a weak smile while giving the small hand in his a gentle squeeze of appreciation. Through the years Harry had come to realize that there were things he just couldn't control. Such as a crazed Dark Lord set on killing him. Rather than dwell on what had happened, he had learned to just sort of accept it and move past it. "I think some breakfast in bed is in order," Harry stated only to see Tibby pop away to see to their needs.

Luna smiled at her husband of a few hours, finding it hard to believe that she was actually married to such a wonderful man and that he loved her as well. Years of bullying at school were suddenly a small price to pay for being with Harry. Losing her mum at an early age had hurt and had actually kept her from trying to get close to others. It hurt far too much when you lost them she had reasoned. The intelligent witch knew she would do anything to keep from losing Harry. As Tibby returned with trays laden with food Luna turned her sharp mind to the task of just how to make Harry happy.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you all had an enjoyable holiday and that the New Year will bring you great happiness and wonderful health to you and yours. So there you have it, Luna is the second witch married. I'm certain everyone had their favorite to be Harry's first time, but it just felt right to have Luna be it. I think before Harry can straighten out things with the other witches he must first straighten out himself. Luna will certainly help him in that regard. Let me know your thoughts and who you thought would be his first as well as why in a review. It should only take a minute or so. :)
> 
> As always, your reviews are not required, but they are greatly appreciated.
> 
> Kind Regards,
> 
> EJ Daniels
> 
> All characters within this story, unless otherwise stated are the sole property of J. K. Rowling the original writer of the Harry Potter series.


	18. A Christmas To Remember

**Chapter 18 – A Christmas To Remember  
…**

"Father!" Daphne yelled as she stepped from the green flames of the floo network and into the foyer of the Greengrass manor house. The angry witch didn't even bother to pause to remove the soot and ash from her blue dress before setting off in search of the head of the Greengrass family. "Father!" Daphne once more bellowed as she swept through the entry hall, her voice echoing off the vaulted ceilings as she ascended the stairs to the family's private quarters two at a time in her rush.

"My word!" Nora Greengrass exclaimed as the doors to her sitting room were thrown open with enough force to cause them to slam back against the wall rather loudly. "Daphne?" the Greengrass Matriarch questioned as she hastily stood. It was readily apparent were Daphne acquired her blonde hair and good looks as Nora was a slightly older version of her daughter. "Whatever is the matter-."

"Where is he?" Daphne snapped, cutting her mother off in mid-sentence. _I'm not about to take this sitting down_ , she fumed. _I will get out of this or by Morgana I'll have my revenge_ , she declared silently. _I'm not about to let Potter and my father dictate my life for me! First, though I need answers and Father will give them to me or else!_

"I will not have you being rude to me in my own home, Daphne" Nora snapped back. "I have raised you to be better than that, young lady!" Atrocious manners were not something the Greengrass Matriarch tolerated from either of her daughters. _We're Greengrasses and hence must set the example for others to follow. We're not some lowly peasants after all!_ Nora thought to herself.

"Did you know?" Daphne questioned with a threatening glare at the woman who gave her life. If the irate young witch had heard her mother's rebuke, Daphne paid it no mind in her pursuit of answers. "Did you know about his deal with Potter?" she asked again. Harry's name was spoken as if it left a vile taste in Daphne's mouth.

Nora Greengrass was not used to being ignored, especially by her daughters. Gerald, her husband, was a strict man and withstood no sass from his children. The elder witch had come to expect obedience from her children, so the fact that her eldest appeared to not care what she said left the woman floundering a bit in unfamiliar waters. "You know I don't meddle in your father's business affairs," Nora finally managed to reply.

"Where is he?" Daphne enquired yet again, certain that either her mother knew nothing or wasn't going to tell her. _I'll get the bloody truth out of him even if I have to hex it out of him!_ Daphne fumed. The young woman was furious at both her father as well as Harry, but she was mostly angry with herself for not seeing their duplicity for what it was. _I can't believe how stupid I was and that I allowed myself to be taken in by Harry's kind words and handsome face!_

"He's not to be disturbed," Nora replied a bit curtly to her daughter's question. "He's entertaining some very important business clients."

Daphne spun about and stormed from the room without so much as a parting word. The former Slytherin flew down the stairs at a reckless speed that was anything but ladylike. _If Father is entertaining then there is only one place he could be_ , she reasoned. Gerald Greengrass always entertained business clients in his study. _As if a room that large could be called a study_ , she scoffed angrily.

It didn't take long for the young woman to storm through the main hall of the manor and down a side passageway lined with pictures of the previous heads of the Greengrass family. The portraits stared down their noses at her, she was merely a female after all. At the end of the long corridor was a set of double doors which led to her father's study. Daphne and her sister Astoria had both been instructed their entire lives to never enter there unless expressly invited to do so. Gerald, so certain of his absolute authority within his own house, never bothered to lock the doors.

A flick of Daphne's wand saw the doors flying open much as her mother's had done previously. The noise startled the dozen or so wizards that were seated or standing about the room drinking liquor and smoking cigars. Gerald Greengrass, who had been in the middle of speaking, fell silent as he regarded his oldest daughter and the tip of her wand which was pointed directly at his chest.

"How could you!" Daphne decried loudly, her wand never wavering. "How could you marry me off to Potter like it was just another business transaction of yours!" Daphne had not been hurt by the first marriage contract her father had arranged, though she didn't stay to fulfill it either. _This one hurts so much_ , she confessed to herself. The bright young witch knew it was because of Harry. Not only had she trusted him but she had allowed herself to fall in love with him as well. _Only to be sold to him like some piece of furniture!_

Gerald regarded the young woman before him for a long moment before he replied. "Gentleman," the head of the Greengrass family said with an apologetic smile about the room, "if you could please give us a moment. It appears that my teenage daughter would like a moment of my time," he added with a small patronizing smile in Daphne's direction.

Several of the wizards gathered who had teenagers of their own gave knowing smiles as they set their drinks aside and stood to leave. Gerald escorted them to the doors of the study, Daphne trailing behind him. Once everyone had left the elder Greengrass closed the doors and locked them.

Daphne watched her father close the doors and lowered her wand to her side. "Father how could yo-." she started to say only to be struck by her father and knocked to the floor by the force of the blow. Daphne looked up from her position in shock even as her lip stung and began to bleed where the Greengrass family ring her father wore had cut her when he had backhanded her.

"If you ever embarrass me in front of my business associates again like that you'll receive far more than a cut lip!" Gerald threatened in a steely tone of voice. A house elf popped into existence and presented Gerald with a moist towel which the wizard accepted without a word. "I have better things to do with my time than play witness to one of your childish tantrums," the man stated as he wiped the blood from his ring. Daphne's father looked down at her, regretting yet again that he didn't have a son, before tossing the towel into Daphne's lap. "Clean yourself up," he ordered.

Walking over to the bar the elder Greengrass poured himself two fingers of D'Amalfi Limoncello Supreme into a brandy sniffer before moving over to his large desk in the corner and taking a seat. Daphne, once certain that her father wasn't going to hit her again, retrieved the towel and wadding it up placed it against her lower lip to stop the flow of blood. Tentatively the young witch got to her feet, making certain to keep her distance from the man.

"It's purely business," Gerald stated as he gently swirled the heady beverage in the glass and lifted it up to his nose to inhale the rich scent. "With the Black family wealth we'll be able to expand our business to almost twice its current size," the wizard told Daphne. "I think this is a far better arrangement than the marriage contract I had initially negotiated for you. I would think you'd be a bit more grateful."

Daphne could feel her previous anger returning, though she didn't dare show it. It wasn't the first time her father had laid hands upon her. At a young age, she had learned to be wary of his temper. _All this just so he can expand the family business? Am I no different than some sack of grain?_ "So you and Potter had this planned all along!" Daphne accused, feeling her anger rise once again at the thought of how Harry had played her.

"Merlin's beard, no!" Gerald replied with a humorous chuckle. "Potter is a boy, albeit a wealthy one, but still only a boy. Boys are easy to handle. Dangle a pretty girl in front of them, and they'll do almost anything you want them to," he told her. "I imagine that by the time you are done with him, he'll be more than willing to sign over his wealth to me."

_Harry didn't know?_ The young witch's mind spun nearly out of control at this news. So certain had she been that he had been playing her along with her father that at the moment she didn't even know what to think. _It was father all along. He played us both_ , Daphne realized, her anger returning in force at the thought of what her father had done to Harry. "He won't do it. Harry's not like that," Daphne told her father.

Gerald scoffed at her words. "He's a teenage boy who's hardly had any contact with pretty girls if my information is correct. All boys at that age only have one thing on their minds really. I doubt it will be that difficult for you to persuade him to do this, Daphne," Gerald said before taking a sip from his glass.

Daphne's anger spiked once again causing her to speak before really thinking about what she was saying. "I see. So you expect me to spread my legs like some common street trollop. Maybe if I let Harry amuse himself as much as he pleases he'll then agree to your terms, is that your plan? You're willing to sell your daughter's virginity so that you can expand your business and influence!" the young witch spat angrily, appalled at the lengths her father would go to in order to increase the Greengrass wealth.

"Watch your tone!" Gerald barked at his daughter's crude assessment of what he expected her to do. "You're a Greengrass! I expect you to act like one and do your duty to your family! Potter is your husband now, and as such you are his wife and have certain obligations you will carry out to the best of your ability! Do I make myself clear?" the wizard asked in a deceptively soft tone of voice which was all the more frightening as Daphne knew he only used that tone when he was good and truly pissed.

"Crystal!" Daphne snapped, not trusting herself to say more. The elder Greengrass waved her off, a clear dismissal if ever there was one. _Harry didn't know? What have I done?_ She asked herself recalling that she had struck the man who had been nothing but kind to her. Daphne turned and walked to the doors but was stopped by her father's voice just before opening them.

"Daphne, if you ever point your wand at me again you'd best be prepared to use it as I won't hesitate to use mine," Gerald warned her. Daphne opened the doors and walked out and through the group of waiting men with her head held high as was proper for a lady of her standing. Several of her father's business associates smiled knowingly while others had a thoughtful look on their faces.

_He must not have silenced the room so that they could hear that he would soon have the Black fortune_ , she realized. _It would be just like father to do something of that nature regardless of just how embarrassed it would make me_. Daphne refused to let these men see just how unsettled she was and walked through them at a dignified pace. Her actions were only slightly successful as it is rather hard to maintain one's dignity while holding a bloody towel in one hand, with a busted, bleeding and rapidly swelling lower lip while your clothes were covered in soot and ash.

Several men were already plotting just how to get in Gerald's good graces as the addition of the Black family wealth, rumored to be substantial, would see the Greengrass interests growing rapidly they figured. In the business world, Gerald Greengrass was well known for getting his way and anything he touched always returned a healthy profit. Some people even whispered that he had the _Midas Touch_ when it came to business as there was always plenty of gold to be had.

Daphne walked down the long corridor past the portraits of her ancestors, ignoring their whispered words of disgraceful, disrespectful, insolent and ungrateful. They were apparently in agreement with her father in that she should just be a good little girl and do what the head of the Greengrass family wanted her to do. It really didn't surprise Daphne as all the portraits were men after all. All of which had at one point and time sat in the seat her father now held.

Daphne left the hallway and its whispering old men behind her as she crossed the room, heading for the stairs which would lead her up to her room. The young witch's emotions and thoughts were in a jumble, and she needed time to straighten everything out in her own head before she could decide what course of action to take. The sound of the floo flaring to life stopped Daphne at the foot of the stairs.

"Daphne!" Tracey Davis exclaimed upon exiting the floo and spying her friend. The auburn haired witch quickly crossed the distance between them and embraced the blonde witch. Tracey pulled back and regarded her friend. "Morgana! What happened to you?" she asked upon seeing Daphne's split lip.

"Father was less than pleased that I barged into his office and interrupted his meeting with some of his business associates," Daphne explained. The fact that they were all there on Christmas Eve rather than with their own families told the oldest Greengrass daughter that they were of the same caliber as her father. _Business comes before everything else_ , she thought bitterly to herself. _Even before family apparently_.

"I can't imagine that went over well," Tracey replied. "Still, I hardly see where that is cause for splitting your lip."

"Well, umm…," Daphne stammered a bit sheepishly, "I might have also threatened him at wand point as well."

"You didn't!" Tracey exclaimed. Having been around the Greengrass family since she was a toddler, Tracey was well aware of the temper of Daphne's father. The young witch was rather surprised that a busted lip was all Daphne had.

"I did!" Daphne assured Tracey. "Father had answers which I needed, and I didn't see any other way of getting them."

Tracey slipped her arm around Daphne and ushered them both towards the stairs. "Let's go upstairs so that you can tell me all about it," said Tracey. It wasn't long before they were secluded within Daphne's bedroom suite, seated upon the blonde witch's bed rather than out in the sitting room. "So I take it this marriage was your father's plan?" Tracey finally asked once they were comfortable on the bed. _I doubt Potter could have come up with something of this nature. He's just a Gryffindor after all._

"Of course it was father's plan," Daphne sighed exasperatedly, throwing herself backward onto the bed to lay there and stare at the canopy above it. "He wants to use the Black family wealth to expand the Greengrass family business. He thinks that if I am the dutiful wife, then everything will fall into his lap."

_I thought Harry was different! How could he agree to something like this?_ Tracey fumed. "Bloody bastard," Tracey spat in anger as well as pain at being so easily fooled. "You should have hexed his bits off when you had the chance!" Tracey added, recalling that Daphne had possession of her wand when the Black family ring appeared upon her finger.

"I hardly see where that would have done any good," Daphne replied, failing to see just how castrating her father would have made any difference at all. _Still, it might have been rather satisfying at that_ , she mused. Obedience and loyalty were traits that were ingrained into every member of the Greengrass family. It was common among almost all pureblood families actually. Daphne knew that she could never do something like that to her own father, though, no matter how much she might want to.

"What do you mean it wouldn't do any good?" Tracey gapped at her friend in disbelief. "It will keep him from ever…," her words trailed off as her face turned slightly pink as she stammered for the correct words to use. "From ever…you know…doing the deed!" Tracey finally settled on. _The last thing I want is for Potter and Daphne to do that!_ The thought of the two of them together brought her anger boiling back up though she wasn't exactly sure who she was angry at. It was all rather confusing to the young woman.

"Eww, Tracey! Can you be any cruder?" Daphne replied with a shiver at the thought of her father doing the deed, as it had been put. _Father is far too old for stuff like that anyway_ , she figured. "I doubt he'll ever do the deep again," she added, certain that there must be some age where things just didn't work anymore and that her parents had passed that point long ago. No child liked to think that their own parents actually still did that stuff after all.

"Good! Don't give in to him!" Tracey encouraged the blonde witch, seeing a chance to drive the wedge between Harry and Daphne a bit deeper. "Just the thought of the two of you together turns my stomach!" It wasn't all that long ago where Tracey herself had entertained thoughts of possibly being with Harry in such a fashion. Her thoughts at the time had surprised the rather withdrawn witch as she had never had such thoughts about any man since the incident with Gregory Goyle. _Bloody hell, how could I have been so stupid!_

"Tracey!" Daphne exclaimed in shock at her friends implying that she would get with her own father. "How could you even say such a thing?" she gasped in utter disbelief as she sat up and regarded her friend in disbelief.

"So you do want to get with him?" Tracey asked, her eyes narrowing as she recalled some other facts. It was Daphne's calculated actions which had first brought the blonde witch to be at Harry's side after all. Though Daphne, when questioned, had explained it away as merely using Harry for a place to hide out of her father's reach. The fact of the matter was that Daphne was a Slytherin which left Tracey doubting the blonde witch.

"That was your goal all along wasn't it? Get him to give you a place to live and then get him to marry you so you wouldn't have to marry whomever your father had you set for!" Tracey accused the confused witch as her own emotions were a mess at the moment. "You wanted to shag Harry Potter all along!" the insecure witch stated as tears started to form in her eyes.

"Harry?" Daphne stammered as her mind tried to shift gears and understand just what Tracey was going on about. "Tracey, you're not making any sense," Daphne said as she reached for her upset friend.

Tracey shied away from Daphne's touch and scrambled off the bed before moving away and turning her back to the other witch. "How could I have been so stupid," Tracey asked herself aloud. "I should have seen it. I should have known when you said all you wanted from Potter was sanctuary from your father! It's never that simple when it comes to you. Plans within plans within plans is the Slytherin way after all."

"I've been such a trusting fool with both you and Harry," Tracey said with a self-deprecating chuckle that verged on the edge of hysteria. "I trusted you. I trusted you both! I opened by heart to you. Bared my soul to you and this is what I get?" the distraught witch said without turning about to look at Daphne. The thought of being betrayed by Daphne as well as Harry was painful, causing the witch's tears to break free.

"Tracey," Daphne said gently as she scooted off the bed as well and took a step towards her dearest friend. "You know I-,"

"No!" Tracey yelled as she spun about and pointed a quivering finger at Daphne. "You don't get to say that! Not ever again! Don't think I haven't seen it. The way you look at him and how you always have to touch him! Don't think I don't know! You love Potter! Stand there and tell me you don't so we'll both know you for the liar you are!" Tracey spat out angrily even as tears rolled down her cheeks.

Daphne staggered back as if Tracey's words were a physical attack against her person. "It…it's not what you think Tracey," she stammered, forcing the words past the emotional clog in her own throat. It was clear to Daphne that Tracey was in great pain and felt betrayed. _Have I betrayed her?_ Daphne asked herself only to know that in fact she had but not on the level Tracey thought her to have done.

"Say it," Tracey said with a ragged sob. "You don't even have the courage to admit it to yourself," the upset witch accused. "You're worthless!" Tracey accused, allowing her emotions to spill forth in her venomous words.

Daphne found herself floundering. Tracey had been the one constant thing in her life, one that Daphne knew she could depend on. No matter what happened, there was never any doubt in Daphne's mind that Tracey would have her back just as she would have Tracey's should the need be there. _How did it come to this?_ Daphne wondered, having no clue as to how the conversation had taken such a wrong turn to arrive at where it was.

"Pathetic!" Tracey growled with a sneer that would have made Snape proud were he still alive to see it. _Lie to me, Daphne! Tell me you don't love him_ , Tracey pleaded within her head. _Tell me I'm being foolish and that everything will go back to the way it was_. The young girl really wanted, needed, to hear a lie as the truth would truly break her heart.

Tracey's words hurt far more than Daphne thought they would. Mostly because the blonde witch saw them as being the truth. "Fine!" Daphne yelled a bit defensively from being stung by the other witch's accusations. "Yes, I bloody love Harry Potter! There are you happy now? I admitted it!"

Tracey choked back a sob before seeming to collect herself. "Don't ever come near me again," she said through clenched teeth before spinning about and racing from the room.

The sheer anger and venom in Tracey's voice seemed to petrify Daphne. Never before had she heard such hatred from her friend and to have it directed at her was just too much for Daphne to take. It was several moments before she realized that Tracey was fleeing. "Tracey!" Daphne yelled as she ran from her room only to be intercepted by a brown haired human torpedo.

"Daphne!" Astoria Greengrass cried as she threw her arms about her older sister and buried her face in Daphne's chest.

"Tori, I don't have time for this right now," Daphne exclaimed as she tried to disentangle herself from the young girl's grasp to chase after her dearest friend. Daphne was so concerned for Tracey that she didn't even pause to wonder why Astoria was home rather than at Hogwarts. _I didn't even get a chance to tell her that Harry was not involved in my father's plan_.

"Father's selling me to the Malfoys!" Astoria bemoaned before bursting into tears and burying her face back into Daphne's chest once again. "I'm to marry Draco!" the youngest Greengrass daughter sobbed hysterically.

"Bloody hell," Daphne breathed as she slipped her arms about the crying girl, realizing that the issue with Tracey would have to wait. Family came first in Daphne's book and right now her baby sister needed her.

**-oOo-**

Making his way down the stairs to the first floor, Harry couldn't help but notice just how quiet the manor was. After breakfast, Luna had curled into Harry's side and gone back to sleep, which was something that eluded the young man. Stopping in to check on Teddy, Harry offered a nod to the house elf seated beside the sleeping boy, who was, amazingly enough, knitting. _So they can't accept clothes, but they can knit their own? Interesting_ , Harry thought to himself, making a mental note to pass that information along to Hermione.

Thoughts of Hermione brought to mind that he hadn't given her the Christmas present he had for her. It wasn't just that, though, for Harry missed his best friend as well. It pained him to think that she, like the others, had left him. Hermione had never run out on him before. Not once during their entire time during the war. "She certainly had plenty of reasons to, though," he mumbled under his breath, recalling the fight at the Department of Mysteries as well as the hunt for the Horcruxes they had gone on.

The young wizard made his way to his study and taking a seat at his desk he pulled out a bit of parchment, an inkwell, and a quill. In short order, a missive was on its way to Hogwarts and the Headmistress apologizing for the previous evening as well as begging a favor of the stern Scottish woman. All he could do was hope that McGonagall would be willing to help him with this matter.

Harry glanced at the clock and saw it was barely half past eight in the morning. With Luna sleeping and everyone else having fled the young man suddenly didn't know exactly what to do with himself. _Was it their presence that always kept me so busy_ , Harry wondered as his eyes fell upon a stack of papers awaiting his attention. "Might as well," he said aloud as he reached for the first piece of parchment.

The young wizard busied himself for the next two hours going over financial and other matters that needed his attention. It was only the soft clearing of a throat at the door to his study that finally brought the wizard's head up from his work. "Abandoning ship?" Harry enquired with a small smile upon seeing Mary at the door with her trunk beside her on the floor.

"After last night that might be the appropriate course of action," Mary replied only to see the smile slip from Harry's face. Noticing the rather resigned look that settled on the young man's features, Mary took some pity on him. "Be that as it may, we currently have a contract, Mister Potter. So unless you are sacking me?" she inquired with an arched brow.

"Wouldn't think of it," Harry was quick to reply, relieved that she wasn't leaving. He liked Mary and greatly enjoy her stories of his mum and dad. Harry felt that through the older witch he had found a connection to his parents once more, having lost all others with the passing of Sirius and Remus.

Mary gave a slight nod of acceptance before continuing. "Then I shall return after the holidays to resume classes. Right now I am off to visit what family I still have here in England," she informed him.

"I'll walk you out," Harry offered as he stood and came around the desk. "I'm terribly sorry for what happened last night," Harry said as he collected Mary's trunk and carried it for her.

"I must say that I am rather disappointed in you. To think that Lily's son would do something so distasteful. I truly thought better of you, Mister Potter," Mary told him reproachfully. "That poor girl," she added, indicating Daphne.

"If I had known any of that was going to happen I would have done everything within my powers to see that it didn't," Harry stated in earnest. "I wrote my solicitors about it and hope they can discover a means by which to free us both," Harry continued with. "I doubt we'll hear anything till after the New Year, though."

Mary weighed Harry's words for a long moment. In the time that she had lived in Westfield, she had come to suspect that the wizard beside her was a good man. Last night had left her seriously doubting that belief. _He does have one thing right, Daphne's not the only one trapped in their marriage_. "So you knew nothing of how the two of you were magically married?"

"Do I look like a man who has a clue when it comes to such things, Miss Macdonald?" Harry asked with a self-deprecating smile. "Why would I do something like that to her when I already know that Daphne's heart belongs to another? It would be overly cruel for her to marry me and not the one she loves," Harry told Mary with a sad sigh. "I good and truly bolloxed this up haven't I?" Harry asked after a long moment of thoughtful silence.

Hearing the concern in the man's words Mary's heart went out to him. "Mister Potter…Harry, if you truly did no wrong, then you are as much a victim as Miss Greengrass is. I think your best course of action at this time is to give the young woman some time to cool off. No woman likes to be forced into a marriage, especially one that is not of her choosing," Mary offered. The teacher wasn't so sure that Daphne's love was solely for another.

"Yes, Ma`am," Harry replied. "I don't think I have much of a choice at this point." _I just hope Daphne's alright_ , he wished in earnest.

"True," Mary agreed. "Waiting is always the hardest thing to do," the older witch stated. "If she wants out of the marriage then I am sure Daphne will contact you sooner or later."

"Susan mentioned to me that you had some questions concerning schooling at the Lupin Home," Harry stated, feeling a change of subject was in order. All he could do was hope that Daphne would allow him to explain before she started hexing. _I'm certain this must be far more terrible for her_ , Harry thought as they entered the living room and made their way towards the fireplace and the floo network.

"I was curious as to what your plans were," Mary answered, wishing there was more she could do for Harry but realizing that there really wasn't as the matter was between Daphne and him.

"I would like to start a school where all the kids can go together. I know most magicals are home schooled, not sure why, though. I hope that if they start at a young age with non-magicals and the like, then they will grow up to see them as no different from themselves," Harry told her, thinking off the top of his head.

"There really aren't any primary schools for magicals to go to," Mary explained as they reached the fireplace and Harry set her trunk down. "The wealthier families hire tutors while the majority of other families see the mothers becoming the home teacher. In some cases, where there are a number of children near the same age, you might find cousins and other relatives being schooled together." Mary cocked her head slightly to the side, "So what has kept you from starting such a school?"

"I barely finished my sixth year at Hogwarts," Harry admitted. "I don't know the first thing about running a school or setting one up for that matter. I would no doubt make a royal mess of it. I want the children to have a good school. I've lost count of the number of times Hermione has told me that a good education is essential. I want them to have that," Harry stated with conviction. "I want this school to make a difference so that they can make a difference one day."

The elder witch could well recall the many discussions she and Lily had shared concerning just what was wrong with the wizarding world. Lily had been very adamant about how she was going to effect change within the backward world they were now a part of. Sadly, Lily had died before she could do that. Hearing Harry's words gave Mary hope that perhaps some of Lily's ideas might come to fruition through her son. "Trying to change the world, Mister Potter?" Mary asked with a hint of a smile playing about her lips.

"Just my little piece of it, Ma`am," Harry replied with a lopsided grin.

"Perhaps when I return we can discuss the matter a bit more, Mister Potter," Mary offered as she reached down and picked her trunk up. "I have some ideas on the subject and may know a few people who would be willing to help or at the very least assist with setting it up."

"I would like that," Harry said with a genuine smile. "Have a nice visit with your family."

"Merry Yule, Harry," Mary offered before stepping into the green flames of the floo network and disappearing.

Harry turned away from the fireplace and headed towards his godson's room. Harry was due over at Lupin Home later that afternoon as he had promised Anna a visit. It was still some time until he needed to wake Luna, so the young wizard decided to play with Teddy. Harry knew that it would be polite to wait for Andi to come home to open gifts but that didn't mean that he and Teddy couldn't see what presents were under the tree. If the wrapping paper just happens to fall off, _well, accidents happen_ , he reasoned with a mischievous grin.

**-oOo-**

"Merlin's beard!" Andi exclaimed upon stepping from the floo and into Westfield Manor. The living room looked as if a small tornado had torn through it. There was gift wrapping paper, ribbons, and bows all over the floor and furniture. Wherever there wasn't paper, there were toys as well as the occasional plate of food or partially full glass of beverage. Amongst all of this, and much to the apparent delight of Luna and Harry was Teddy zipping about on a small toy broom. The small child's squeals of laughter were not nearly enough to ease the witch's anger or fear at seeing her grandson flying.

"Harry James Potter! A broom! How could you?" Andi exclaimed, making her presence known to the trio.

"Boom Mine!" Teddy declared loudly only to break into giggles as the boom in question suddenly shot off to the left to chase after bubbles that were issuing forth from a dark wooden pipe which was suspended in the air. With both hands firmly on the handle of the broom, Teddy used his mouth to bite the bubbles as he flew past them, finding it great fun when they popped.

Harry quickly raised his hands, palms outward before him as if surrendering. "Don't look at me, it wasn't my gift," the wizard declared with a glance in Luna's direction.

"Luna?" Andi asked in disbelief.

The witch in question promptly stuck her tongue out towards the wizard. "Traitor," Luna said accusingly towards Harry so she wouldn't have to meet Andi's gaze. The young witch's voice bespoke volumes about the retribution she had planned for his betrayal.

"Every man for himself," Harry replied back with a small nervous chuckle, wondering just what the playful witch would do to him. He couldn't help but feel a little excited at the prospect of finding out.

"Hope the couch is comfortable," Luna whispered as she walked past Harry to greet Andi.

"Me too…wait, what?" Harry asked, unsure of what had just happened. _But it's my bedroom_ , he silently added as he followed the petite witch over and gave Andi a peek on the cheek and a hug. "It is good to see you, Andi," Harry said upon releasing the witch. "After last night I wasn't sure if you'd still be here or not."

"No matter what happens Harry, we're family," Andi assured him. "I'll always be here for you. I don't know what you've gotten yourself into this time, though I'm sure we'll sort it out eventually. No word from Daphne yet I take it?" Andi asked only to see Harry shake his head. "Well that is to be expected I guess. Best to give her a bit of space and time for now," Andi advised.

Harry heaved a silent sigh of relief. He hadn't been certain just how Andi would take the events of last night and had feared she, like the others, would leave. No Andi meant no Teddy and they were all the family he had as Harry saw it. "Mary said the same thing before she left," Harry stated only to see Andi arch a brow in question, so Harry explained their conversation from that morning.

"It shows an uncanny amount of wisdom, admitting when you're out of your depth and allowing others to handle things," Andi said with a small smile. Though outwardly she appeared normal, on the inside Andi was more than a little confused. When it had finally sunk in the previous evening that Harry was married to Daphne the widow had been rather surprised to find that her chief emotion at the time had been jealousy. A rather ugly trait she did not particularly care for.

Being a Black, she knew how to control her emotions, though. Her mother had schooled her and her sisters since they were old enough to talk, on just what a purebred lady should say and do. Showing one's emotions was certainly not a part of that. It was only thanks to her upbringing that she managed now to keep her voice and features from reflecting her inner turmoil. _I would have been far too old for him anyways_ , she had tried to tell herself all day while at work with little success.

Andi may like to say that she was getting older, but she knew that she was still quite young actually. Magicals lived a great deal longer than non-magicals, so a twenty-year difference in ages was not all that much actually. The Black daughter had known early on that she held strong feelings for Harry but had played it off as what one would expect for another family member. Her unexpected feelings of jealousy had her questioning her own feelings and leaving her wondering just what they truly were.

"I've been out of my depth almost my entire life," Harry replied with a grin. "I've gotten sort of used to letting those smarter than me figure things out. Sometimes I feel like a healer who delivers babies. Everyone else does all the work, and I swoop in at the last minute for the delivery and get all the credit."

"Oftentimes it is you who deserves that credit, Harry. You're the one who placed your life on the line so often," Luna reminded Harry. The young witch disliked it when Harry tried to belittle himself. He was a hero, of that there could be no doubt, but more importantly, he was also her Harry. Luna was not about to let him speak poorly of himself. "You are far smarter than you think you are, Harry. I seem to recall Hermione mentioning with some pride just how well you did on your OWLs."

"That was mostly due to Hermione and her constant studying," Harry admitted with a bit of embarrassment. "If not for her, Merlin knows how I would have done."

"Which brings me back to what I said earlier, knowing when to count on others," Andi said. "Now, let's clean up a bit and then get some dinner. I'm rather famished," she admitted just before plucking Teddy from his broom as it flew past the trio. "That will be enough of that, young man," Andi stated.

"Boom!" wailed Teddy upon being rudely separated from the best toy ever!

"There will be plenty of time for that tomorrow," Andi told the upset child. "Preferably when I am not around to witness it," she added.

The four of them had a nice dinner. Harry gave Andi her present, a necklace of black pearls which the older witch loved. Harry also provided her with a key to the Black family vault as he had realized that Andi would need to purchase books and other supplies for school. As Andi was once again a member of the Black family, he felt that a key would be the best way to handle the matter. He didn't feel right in asking her about her finances directly and didn't want her to do without due to a lack of galleons.

It was some time later in the evening, Luna had taken Teddy to read him a bedtime story before tucking him in when Harry found Andi in the library reading a book. The sound of the door opening caused the witch to look up from her book, a soft smile appeared upon her face upon seeing Harry standing there. "Andi, can we talk?" he asked rather nervously.

**-oOo-**

Hermione Granger, Head Girl of Hogwarts, member of the Golden Trio, Brightest Witch of her age was hiding. The young woman was sequestered away in the only place that offered her any solace, the library of Hogwarts. There, tucked away among the many books, lost in the musty old scent of parchment and bindings, she didn't have to think about the fact that Harry was now married and just how broken her heart was.

The young woman hastily wiped the tears from her cheeks, rather upset with herself for crying yet again. "Will it never stop?" she questioned as she scrunched her eyes shut to stop the flow of water. It wouldn't do to have her tears stain the tome she was currently reading after all. _I'm certain Madam Pince would be none too pleased either_ , she thought only to snort in amusement. _The man I've been in love with for some time is suddenly married to someone else, and I'm concerned with a few tear stains on a book_!

"Alright Hermione, get yourself together. You can't help Harry if you're a blubbering mess!" she scolded herself, sitting up straighter and returning to the book on Wizarding law she had been reading. The table was cluttered with just about every book she could find dealing with marriage in the wizarding world. "There has to be something in here that can help Harry," she growled out. If she could help Harry than she would be helping herself as well.

The young witch had berated herself over and over again through the course of the day for waiting too long to let Harry know how she felt. _If I had just been honest with myself, all of this might not have happened_. She had almost done it, confessed her feelings, on their trip to Australia to find her parents. However, that had gone so spectacularly wrong that Hermione had been far too upset to even think about telling Harry.

_For someone who is supposedly intelligent I can certainly be rather daft at times_ ," she told herself, not for the first time. Looking back there had been plenty of opportunities to tell Harry but something, namely her overactive brain, always stopped her from taking that last step. It was fear she realized in looking back. Hermione had been afraid that Harry would reject her and she would lose the best thing in her life. _Now, when I finally managed to show Harry my feelings, it is too late_.

"No, focus on the task at hand," Hermione said, feeling her eyes starting their waterworks once again. "I'm certain Harry must be miserable at the moment with how everything has turned out," Hermione added as she wiped a tear away. _Poor Daphne too_ , she realized. _To be forced into marrying someone is just so barbaric!_ The young witch turned the page of the book with a new sense of determination to save Harry as well as Daphne from a fate which neither of them wanted.

A soft pop announced the arrival of a Hogwarts house elf dressed in black tails with the Potter family crest blazon upon the left breast. "The Headmistress has asked for your presence within her office, Head Girl," he announced.

"Did Headmistress McGonagall say why she needed to see me?" Hermione enquired, hating the interruption of her research. Between the crying and feeling sorry for herself, Hermione's research wasn't progressing as nearly as fast she would have liked.

"Dinny is sorry, but the Headmistress did not say," the small elf replied.

"Thank you, Dinny. Please inform the Headmistress I shall be there right away," Hermione said as she started to collect the books from the table. The elf gave a nod and disappeared with a pop. _What now?_ Hermione wondered as she starting returning the books to their places upon the shelves. _I need to help Harry! I don't have time to have a chinwag with anyone. What if Professor McGonagall has heard from Harry, though?_ That thought stopped her in her tracks for a long moment. _Maybe he needs me?_

"Don't be foolish," she tried to tell herself as she returned to the task at hand and placed another book upon its shelf. Try as she might Hermione couldn't deny the fact that her heart had skipped a beat at the thought that Harry may have come for her. "He could have sent me an owl at least," she groused until she realized that owls were not allowed in the library as Madam Pince did not want her books damaged from owl droppings.

_I should have just stayed there and been there for him_ , she told herself. _But you needed to come here and use the library_ , the rational side of her mind countered with. _How else are you going to save him from this latest mess he's gotten himself into?_ It asked. While Hermione knew that to be true, she also knew that a part of her had wanted to flee. To get as far away as possible from Harry as it hurt too much to be with him knowing he was now someone else's and would never be just hers.

It was a very distraught and emotionally drained witch that finally made her way up to the Headmistress's office. "Professor, I hope this is important as I-." The words died on her lips upon what she saw awaiting her.

"Hello Pumpkin," a familiar male voice greeted her.

"Dad, Mum, what are you doing here?" Hermione asked, her mind awhirl with confusion.

"Hello Sweetheart," Emma Granger said with a small smile at the look of confusion on her daughter's face. It wasn't very often that the elder Granger got to see that particular expression on Hermione's face after all. All too often the bright girl understood too much.

"Why aren't you in Australia," Hermione asked looking back and forth between her parents, still not certain if perhaps she was seeing things. The last time she had seen them was when she and Harry had left Australia. At the time her mum and dad were both put out with her for erasing their memories and sending them away. The married dentists had decided to remain in Sydney where they had made a life for themselves.

Daniel Granger, who was standing behind his wife, laid a hand on Emma's shoulder and answered his daughter. "We were wrong Hermione. We were upset and reacted poorly when you came and found us."

"He said that he couldn't understand how the parents of such a brilliant woman could be so stupid," Emma said as she reached up to her shoulder and laid her hand upon her husbands as if drawing strength from him. "He told us that if it weren't for you, he would have been dead many times over."

"Said you were the brains of the group, he did," Daniel continued with, in a rather proud tone. "Gave us a good talking to, that man of yours. We had no choice but to sit there and get an ear full as we couldn't move and all. I guess he figured that was the only way we'd listen to a bit of reason."

"We're so sorry, Dear," Emma spoke up emotionally. "Can you ever forgive us? Sometimes we feel so very distant from you and this new world you're a part of. I feel like I've lost my little girl. I sent you off to become a witch and have gotten a strong young independent woman back whom I hardly know. Where'd my baby girl go?"

"I'm right here, Mum," Hermione replied emotionally as her eyes once again sprung a leak before she crossed the distance between her and her parents to be accepted into their open arms. "All I ever wanted was for us to be a family," Hermione sobbed into her Mum's chest. "I've missed you guys so much!"

Several minutes passed while the three Grangers clung to each other. It was Daniel Granger who first broke the silence. "So where is he?" the dentist asked.

Hermione, who had been enjoying the three-way hug was momentarily confused by the apparent change of topics. "Who?" the bright witch asked.

"My future son-in-law!" Daniel Granger answered with a grin. "A man doesn't travel halfway around the globe to lecture a girl's parents about how daft they are being unless he plans on spending the rest of his life with her!"

"What are you going on about, Dad?" Hermione questioned as her father wasn't making any sense to her. "Who lectured you?"

"Harry, Dear," Emma supplied the missing piece with a wide grin. "Harry Potter came and found us in Sydney and had a long talk with us. He made it so that we could be here with you for Christmas. He wanted it to be a surprise so asked us to wait until today. The day was almost over, so we thought maybe he had forgotten us till Headmistress McGonagall came and collected us."

"So, where is the lad?" Daniel Granger pressed, anxious to thank the boy for giving them their daughter back.

It finally sunk in. Hermione hadn't noticed Harry being gone for any great length of time and so would have never of thought that he had made a trip to Australia for her parents. It was only now that she realized that Harry could have done it with the use of an international portkey. Though they were difficult to come by if there were anyone who could obtain one it would be Harry Potter. "Bloody hell," Hermione sighed as she didn't even know where to begin to explain things to her parents.

* * *

 

* * *

OMAKE to "Witches of Westfield"  
By Dale Ravenclaw.

Gerald Greengrass, his wife, and their youngest daughter were all seated, very disheveled, in a Gringotts conference room with their Account Manager Ripflesh.

They had been left in their present state when they were unceremoniously ejected from their Manor house and deposited outside the boundary of the Greengrass estate, which had disappeared entirely, apparently under a Fidelius.

Ripflesh regarded the humans with a sneer of disdain. With a curl of his scarred lip, he cut to the point: "You are here why?"

"We came," Greengrass said nervously, "to inquire what is going on with our property and accounts."

"Property? Accounts? Why, when you have neither?"  
"Of course we have property and accounts" Greengrass almost shouted at the Goblin, who was sitting with an expression approaching a smirk on his face, a very disturbing look.

"Not anymore. And so you are wasting my time" intoned Ripflesh. "But as you have caused much gold to flow into my accounts over the years I will spare you a few more minutes."

"To cut to the chase, you lost everything you ever owned this afternoon. You raised your wand to the Lady Daphne did you not? "

"I disciplined my daughter, as is my right" growled Gerald, getting ready to move into high drudgeon. What did this beast think, that he was not entitled to do so?

"Apparently you failed to learn your family history before becoming Greengrass or Greengrass." Smirked the Goblin. "Two centuries ago, the nascent House of Greengrass swore fealty to the Black of Black."

"So?"

"That was not "your daughter" you assaulted and insulted, at least not any more. You struck The Lady Black, wife of the Black of Black, you dared raise your wand to her, too. Any Goblin would have had your hand removed for striking the Lady of an Ancient and Noble House.

For the crime of treason, the Black Family magics automatically invoked your maximum penalty short od death for you all. Your estate was seized, you vaults were frozen and then transferred to House Black, and all property and chattels you owned, excepting only yourselves, were stripped from you. And at that it was a lenient punishment, you could have been, all of you, sold into slavery, or killed outright, had the Black of Black decided to take more punitive action against you."

Gerald sat, mouth hanging open.

"I do believe," murmured the Goblin," that you forgot whom you made her when you summarily married your eldest daughter off to the Black of Black." Best you only got the minimum punishment they could have exacted from you for your foolishness."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A little drama, a little humor and a little flood of tears. Truly a Christmas to remember! Now that everything is good and torn apart I can begin to put it all back together again. Timeline wise, Daphne and Tracey take place right after Daphne storms out of Westfield upon getting her wand and ring. Tracey follows shortly afterward due to exchanging words with Hermione. Hence her late arrival. Everything else happened Christmas day, just in case that wasn't clear.
> 
> Work has me working 60+ hours a week at the moment, making it a bit hard to find time to write. Sleep or writing, the eternal dilemma, no? A quick word of thanks for all the reviews, I do read each and every one as well as greatly appreciate them. I hope you'll continue to read along as well as leave a review to tell me what you like or don't like as the case may be.
> 
> As always, your reviews are not required, but they are greatly appreciated.
> 
> Kind Regards,
> 
> EJ Daniels
> 
> All characters within this story, unless otherwise stated are the sole property of J. K. Rowling the original writer of the Harry Potter series.


	19. Scattered Troubles

**Chapter 19 – Scattered Troubles  
. . .**

Daphne rolled over and threw one arm over her eyes in an attempt to ignore that the sun was already up and peeking through the window. For once the young witch did not feel like getting out of bed. Well known for being a morning person, always ready to face the day, she strangely found herself wishing the world would just go away. _Preferably leaving me behind_ , Daphne thought to herself.

"I might as well get up," she told herself after a few more minutes had passed. "I can't see how my life could possibly get any worse." The young woman lamented as she sat up and turned over the covers, shivering a bit as the cold morning air hit her. A quick trip to her wardrobe saw some warm clothes selected before Daphne made her way to her bathroom. Stripping down she tossed her clothes aside for the Greengrass house elf, Acilly, to collect later and clean. Standing in the shower, with the hot water washing over her, gave Daphne time to reflect.

Christmas day had been a rather gloomy one within the Greengrass residence. Daphne had remained in her room with Astoria practically glued to her side. The younger girl had alternated between crying her eyes out and declaring how she was going to hex their father for doing what he had done. It had taken most of the day, but Daphne had finally managed to get the story from her distraught sister. It wasn't pretty, but after what their father had done to her and Harry, Daphne really wasn't surprised.

"I have to give Draco an heir within the first year!" Astoria fumed as she paced back and forth at the foot of Daphne's bed. The young Slytherin witch had alternated between that and throwing herself on the bed in tears. "As if I can control if it is a boy or a girl!"

"They have potions that are supposed to help with that," Daphne offered, only to see her sister pause in her pacing to glare at her. "Just saying," Daphne mumbled under her breath.

"Then, as if that isn't enough I have to provide a second heir for Father so that there will be a male to head the Greengrass house," Astoria exclaimed as she resumed her pacing once again. "Merlin forbid that the head of the family seat goes to some cousin or someone not of father's seed!"

Daphne knew that should Astoria have a second son their father would consider the boy practically his own and raise him to be a carbon copy of the current head of the Greengrass family. The boy would most certainly follow in Gerald's footsteps one day. _Just what we need, a mini version of Father_ , Daphne thought with a mental eye-roll.

"Sissy, you have to help me!" Astoria pleaded, suddenly stopping and facing Daphne.

"I don't know what I can do," Daphne said, seeing her sister's shoulder droop upon hearing her words.

Astoria's arm wrapped around herself in a hug as her voice lowered to a frightened whisper. "You have to do something. They are going to test for my purity over the Easter break. Malfoy senior and his wife are allowed to attend. It's to be a full medical examination," the scared girl told Daphne.

Daphne blanched upon hearing her sister's words. It was fairly common with marriage contracts to have the intended bride undergo a virginity verification. Virgins fetched a higher price as there were any number of rituals that they could be used for. Contrary to popular belief not all rituals involving virgins ended with their deaths. Some didn't even end with their deflowering, which made them all the more sought after.

In most cases, it was unheard of for anyone other than a healer being present for the examination. Typically, not even the girl's parents were allowed to be present to avoid any accusations of bribing the healer into giving a false report. The healer swore an oath to disclose the truth, which was usually enough. More than a few marriage contracts had been renegotiated after the results of a virginity examination.

A full medical examination would see Astoria stripped naked so that she could be inspected for blemishes which, if found, would lower her bride price. Just the thought of Draco looking at her was enough to send a shiver down Daphne's spin. "I can't believe father is willing to allow the Malfoys there as well," Daphne gasped in disbelief. Malfoy senior had the look of a letch as far as Daphne was concerned. Just thinking about it made the older girl's skin crawl. A part of her was glad it was Astoria and not her.

Astoria had broken down into tears with Daphne quickly moving to comfort her. So the day had progressed for the most part. The Greengrass girls had spent the day together finding comfort in each other as they knew they would find none from either of their parents. The elder Greengrass matron was firmly on the side of their father having been raised to be a proper lady and do everything her husband commanded.

Daphne finally turned and began to clean her body as the warm water relieved the chill from her skin. _At least we know that only Malfoy senior or father can void the marriage contract_ , Daphne recalled. Being the Heads of their respective Houses gave them the ability to do so. "Sadly that doesn't give us much to work with," she spoke aloud as she washed her hair.

_I highly doubt father will be willing to give up what is certain to be a lucrative connection_ , Daphne thought as she worked at her blonde tresses. While the Malfoy name had taken a severe beating after the fall of Voldemort, the family had enormous wealth which meant that they held considerable influence as well. Other Pure-blood families might not publically be seen associating with them, but that didn't stop them from meeting in secret. Back room deals had always been the norm among the pure-blood elite.

_The Golden Rule_ , Daphne mused silently. _Those with the gold make the rules_ , she finished, knowing all too well just how true that statement was. The young witch had seen her own father use the Greengrass gold to get what he wanted as well as to stop other from getting what they wanted on the off chance that he might want it at some later time. "I wonder what father is getting out of this," Daphne pondered as she rinsed her hair. "It can't just be the possibility of a male heir."

"I don't know enough about the Malfoys' business portfolio to hazard a guess," Daphne realized as she turned into the shower spray to rinse her face off. _They must have something father needs_ , she mused as she turned the shower off and quickly made her way over to the large claw foot bathtub that was filled with steaming water. Slipping into the welcoming water till just her head was visible the witch let out a contented sigh.

"That's more like it," Daphne said as she leaned her head back against the slope of the tub. Several long moments passed as she leisurely enjoyed the heat, allowing it to seep into her. A long soak after a shower was an indulgence she allowed herself every chance she got. The heat of the water and the stillness of the moment afforded the bright witch time to organize her thoughts and arrange her plans for the day.

_It can't be just their gold_ , she thought as she worried the problem in her head. _Father felt certain he would obtain plenty of gold from the Black family. Is it truly just an heir he is after?_ Daphne pondered. It was a possibility she had to admit as apparently whatever marriage contract her father had tricked Harry into didn't require that an heir be produced. "Morgana, at least I hope not!" Daphne exclaimed aloud.

The thought of Harry caused the young woman to recall her own predicament that she was in. All of her Pure-blood training was of little use to her at this moment. Pure-bloods did not apologize after all, as it was supposed to be beneath them. _Not that I believe in that nonsense_ , Daphne quickly told herself. The fact was that she was embarrassed and a bit ashamed of her actions and honestly didn't know what to do. _Usually, I would talk my problems over with Tracey before deciding what course of action to take, but that clearly is not an option._

"All these stupid misunderstandings!" Daphne growled in frustration. _Father tricking Harry. Tracey misunderstanding what I was saying_ , she thought, having gone over her conversation with Tracey and seen where it had gone wrong. _I understand where Tracey would be upset from what she thought had happened. I was not as clear as I should have been I guess._ "Now there is the matter with Tori as well!"

Daphne sunk lower into the tub till the water covered her head. There in the submerged state, she thought over the current problems facing her once again, coming to the same conclusion she had the night before. _There is one person that can possibly help me with all my problems. The real question is will they be willing to?_ Daphne was uncertain if the person she had in mind would even consent to speak with her and it was her uncertainty which held her back from seeking them out.

**-oOo-**

"Language!" Emma Granger scolded her daughter reflexively. "I take it there is some problem?" Hermione's mother asked upon seeing the distraught look on the young witch's face.

"Sorry. I've royally bollixed things, mum," Hermione replied in a distraught tone as she slipped from her mother's embrace and into a chair that had been conjured by the Headmistress. "I don't even know where to begin."

"Usually at the beginning," Emma offered, as she reached out tucked a stray strand of unruly hair behind Hermione's ear.

"I think I have loved Harry for a long time now, but I wouldn't let myself tell him. I was afraid. Afraid that he wouldn't survive the war and then my heart would be good and truly broken," Hermione confessed. "I mean how many times does a guy have to save your life before you fall hopelessly in love with him?" she asked as a small humorless smile touched her face.

The Granger parents exchanged knowing looks. They had been reading their daughter's letters home for many years, and it would have been impossible not to notice how they always contained a great deal about her friend Harry Potter. While Emma had first realized that her daughter was in love it had taken Daniel a bit longer as he didn't want to admit that he was no longer the most significant male in his daughter's life. Minerva's lips curled upward into a smile as she finally heard confirmation of what she had suspected since Hermione's third year.

"I've come close several times to telling him since the end of the war, but something always held me back. I think I listened to my head rather than to my heart," the young witch continued as her eyes dropped to her lap and stared at her clasped hands without actually seeing them. "I was so set to tell him when we went to Australia, but that turned out so terribly that I couldn't think of anything else afterward. I really missed you guys, and your reaction hurt," Hermione admitted, one hand slipping up to cover her left sleeve and the letters carved into her skin. "I hadn't expected the look of disgust on your faces."

Emma reached over and laid her hand upon Hermione's hand. "We were not disgusted by you, Hermione," she clarified for her daughter, "but rather appalled that someone could do such a thing to you. Someone disfiguring another person is something you only see in a show on the tele or in a movie perhaps, not something you expect to hear happened to your own daughter."

"T…then you're not repulsed by me?" the insecure witch asked, looking up with hopeful eyes.

"Sweetie," Daniel Granger said, laying a gentle hand upon his daughter's shoulder, "You will always be our precious little girl no matter what happens to you. Just the thought of someone hurting you makes me see red!" Daniel growled angrily.

"But the looks on your faces and you were so angry," the confused witch cited as her eyes once more dropped to her lap. She had been so confident that her parents had been repulsed by her hideous scars only to be hearing that it hadn't been that at all.

"We were angry," Emma replied, confirming her daughter's words. "You were hurt by someone, and we couldn't protect you. We didn't even have any say in the matter of our family's future. We were forced to leave our daughter, to even forget we had you, Hermione. We're a family, and we have always talked things out amongst us. That is how we handle our problems, as a family. You took that away from us," Emma added, her eyes tearing up.

"As a parent, you always want the best for your children. You want to protect them and keep them safe from harm," Daniel Granger said, taking up where his upset wife had left off. "We're the ones who allowed you to be a part of the magical world only to discover that it was more dangerous than it was magical. When we should have been the ones to protect you we were instead sent away. I felt so helpless upon finding that out," Daniel admitted with an angry growl of frustration.

"We were upset at not having the choice but also I think that we were mad at realizing that even if we'd had the choice, there wasn't much we could have done," Emma continued as Daniel was forced to stop to regain control of his temper once again. "It is not easy to realize that you can't save your own child. You're our only daughter and the most important thing in our lives, Hermione. I don't know what we'd do if anything ever happened to you!"

Hermione, already an emotional wreck, could take it no longer and with a loud sob dove into her mother's arms as the two Granger women cried together and tried to console each other. Daniel Granger could do little more than look on while rubbing both their backs while attempting not to cry himself. "I'm so sorry for what I did to you both!" Hermione sobbed.

"Just don't do it again," Emma replied with a wet sniffle as the two of them struggled to regain some emotional stability. "We're a family so let us talk things out as a family," she offered only to feel her daughter nod in agreement. "So, tell us about this problem with Harry. Is it that he doesn't love you back?"

"He hasn't come out and said it, mum, but I'm certain that he does," Hermione answered a small smile, the first since leaving Westfield, appearing on her lips. "When he picked me up at the station we kissed," she told her mother as her cheeks turned a light shade of pink. "It was so…magical!" _No need to inform them of our snogging session in my room afterward_ , she reasoned.

"I suspect you've waited a long time for that kiss," Emma teased in a light tone only to feel her daughter nod ever so slightly. "So if he feels the same way as you do then what is the problem, sweetie?"

Hermione sniffled while wiping away the remainder of her tears. Reluctantly the Head Girl sat back in her chair and regarded her parents wondering just how they would take the news. Gathering her damaged Gryffindor courage, she finally answered, "He's married."

"What!" the elder Grangers exclaimed in unison. While they had certainly expected there to be some problem the Grangers had thought that maybe they had fought and had a falling out at most. Young couples always do that sort of thing after all. Never had the mention of the word marriage figured into their thoughts, though.

"It's not his fault," Hermione was quick to clarify. "It was all accidental. I'm certain he didn't intend to get married to Daphne."

Emma and Daniel exchanged confused looks for a moment. "I'm fairly sure last I heard that to get married you had to consent to it, Pumpkin," Daniel Granger finally stated.

"Ordinarily you would be correct, Mister Granger," Minerva McGonagall spoke up, having remained quiet during the previous proceedings so as not to intrude. "In our world, however, there are such things as marriage contracts. It would seem that Mister Potter has run afoul of one such thing."

"Marriage contracts? I wasn't aware that those were still in use," Emma stated in a surprised tone. "I mean I know that in the East it is still fairly common for families to arrange marriages for their children but I thought we were a bit more civilized here."

"There are a great many things about the wizarding world that are rather _Old-Fashioned_ , Mum," Hermione offered. "The problem in Harry's case is that he wasn't aware that the contract existed," the bright witch said thoughtfully. "From Daphne's reaction, she wasn't aware either if I had to hazard a guess."

"Who is this Daphne?" Emma enquired in a puzzled tone. If what Hermione was saying was true then Emma could only imagine how the bride was feeling.

"The girl Harry is married to," Hermione answered. "Daphne Greengrass. She was in the same year as Harry and I but was in Slytherin. Outside of classes we really didn't have any interaction with her at all. At least she wasn't a part of Malfoy's group, which is why we probably didn't interact all that much. She's beautiful and very smart as well as from an old family," Hermione added to completing her report.

"The Greengrass family is a very ancient one," Minerva volunteered. "They are a Pure-blood family who has remained neutral during the wars that have plagued our society. They are wealthy and very influential within our world. Daphne has a younger sister, Astoria, who was attending Hogwarts up till this year."

"So both of them are bound by a contract that neither of them has signed?" Daniel asked only to see his daughter give a nod in agreement. "How is that possible? Has anyone actually seen the contract and read it? How do you even know that it is real?"

"It would seem that it is real enough," McGonagall replied. "For the Black family ring to appear on Miss Greengrass' finger it would have to be authentic. Magic like that cannot be fooled I'm afraid. The Black family is a very ancient one, and the enchantments upon their wedding rings would be both ancient as well as very powerful. As for the how of it, magic, of course."

"So the principal parties in this contract would have to be Harry and this Daphne?" Daniel asked thinking aloud. Upon receiving a nod of confirmation from Hermione, the man continued. "I handle all the contracts for our business, so I have a little experience with them. How was the contract enacted? Is there a clause for a way out of it? Perhaps a penalty payment of some kind?"

"We don't know as yet what the contract is," Hermione explained. "I've been trying to research marriage contracts here in the library, but it has been slow going. It seems that there are a great variety of contracts which would fall into the _'Standard Contracts'_ category but then there are others that can be modified to just about anything. On top of that, there are any number of antiquated old laws which still remain valid having never been abolished."

"Headmistress McGonagall," Emma voiced pulling the elder witch's attention, "are the books Hermione is reading magical in nature?"

"No, Mum!" Hermione answered first as a smile blossomed on her face. The bright witch believed she knew why her mother had asked and was practically holding her breath in the hope that she was correct.

"Miss Granger is correct," Minerva replied. "They are merely books which contain the laws that have been passed by the Wizengamot. They are difficult enough to read, I assure you, without adding spells to them," the Headmistress stated, the corners of her lips twitching upwards.

Emma glanced towards her husband only to receive a nod of encouragement. "Would it be possible for Daniel and I to help Hermione with her research? We both attended university in our world and should be able to fend our way through the books in question I would think."

"I don't see where that would be a problem," Minerva replied only to hear Hermione's squeal as the young witch launched herself at her mum and hugged Emma for all she was worth. "I am quite certain that Miss Granger can show you the way to the library, having been there a time or two," Minerva said with a genuine smile.

"More than a time or two I'd wager," Daniel replied with a smile of his own as he watched his two girls.

"Oh Dad, I don't go to the library that often," Hermione stated sitting back from her mum. Three arched brows of disbelief were her only answer. "I don't!" Hermione huffed defensively crossing her arms over her chest.

It wasn't long before the three Grangers were walking along the corridor heading towards the Grande Stairway. Emma slipped her arm around her daughter's shoulders, "You alright?" Hermione shrugged dismissively but remained silent. "Have you thought of what you might do if there is no way out of this marriage contract for Harry?" Emma didn't want to bring up that possibility but knew it would have to be faced eventually.

"I don't know, Mum," Hermione admitted, her shoulders drooping significantly. "I feel as if I had just gotten Harry only to have him snatched away by someone else! I know it isn't Daphne's fault and all. She's just as much a victim as Harry is, but there is a part of me that is so jealous of her right now."

"So you wish it had been you rather than her?" Emma enquired as she looked for her husband. Daniel had been wise enough to realize that the two women might need to talk and had paused along the way to admire several suits of armor, affording the two women in his life the privacy they required.

"Yes. No," Hermione answered in an uncertain tone before explaining. "I wouldn't want to trap Harry into anything he didn't want. He's had enough of other's deciding his life for him I suspect. I would rather that Harry chose me on his own than having it forced upon him by some marriage contract. I can see why Daphne was so mad, though. I know she has feelings for Harry as well and I'm certain she would have rather been chosen on her own merits."

"This contract has removed everyone's freedom of choice," Hermione stated, not failing to realize she had done the exact same thing to her parents. _Perhaps this is karma coming back to bite me in the arse?_ "I know it is wrong but if Harry had to be trapped into marrying someone is it wrong for me to wish it was me instead of Daphne? Does that make me a bad person, Mum?"

Emma hugged Hermione tighter to her side with one arm. "I don't think that makes you a bad person, Hermione, just a woman in love with a man. I'm sure there are arranged marriages that work out. Couples may even come to love each other over time. Still, some don't. I would think it would be a difficult issue to work through. Take your father and me," Emma offered.

"What!" Hermione exclaimed, looking about for her father only to spot him some good ways behind them. "You and Dad were an arranged marriage?" she asked in disbelief.

Emma couldn't help but chuckle at her daughter's reaction. "No, silly. When I first meet your father, he was engaged to be married. As soon as I saw Daniel I knew he was the man for me," Emma said with a wistful smile as she recalled the memory of that time. "I was the right one for him, he just didn't know it at the time. I wasn't going to let something as trivial as an engagement stand in my way."

"S…so what did you do?" Hermione asked in awe, having never heard this story about her parents before.

"I didn't give up," Emma told her daughter. "Even the fact that he was engaged to my cousin Brenda wasn't going to stop me from being with Daniel. I marched up to your father and told him that he was making a huge mistake. Then I kissed him, right there in front of the entire family! I think Aunt Agatha actually fainted," Emma recalled in a thoughtful tone.

Hermione had always wondered why cousin Brenda had always ignored them at family gatherings. The woman would sit and stare daggers as her mum for no apparent reason. Brenda's daughter had teased and picked on Hermione while growing up as well. _At least now I know why she hates our family so much_ , Hermione thought. "You actually did that?"

"Yup," Emma confirmed. "It took a bit longer, but your father eventually wised up. I'm sure Brenda always screeching at your father for looking at me helped it along somewhat. Seems he was a bit dumbfounded as to why I would kiss him like that," she added with an amused chuckle.

"Guilty as charged," Daniel offered from behind them, having caught up enough to hear the tail end of the story. "I just couldn't fathom why someone as beautiful as your mum would want to be with a bloke like me. Your Mum saved me from a fate worse than death," Daniel said, recalling just how henpecked Brenda's current husband was. "If not for her I would have never of found the love of my life!" Daniel added, slipping his arm around his wife and giving her a loving peck on the cheek.

"Like I would have let you get away," Emma playfully teased before turning back to Hermione. "After that family gatherings are especially awkward. My point though is that we didn't let that stop us from having what we wanted, dear. We truly love each other, and I couldn't imagine a life without your father."

Hermione sighed and smiled upon seeing the love her parents shared. _I want that for myself_ , she thought. _I want that with my Harry!_ The young witch squared her shoulders, determined to not let something as little as a marriage contract stand in her way of getting the man that she loved. It was with a new sense of conviction that the Head Girl of Hogwarts led her parents into the library.

**-oOo-**

Andi closed the book in her hands and set it on the table next to her. Looking back towards the nervous wizard standing in the doorway she patted the seat beside her, indicating that Harry should come have a seat. Only waiting till Harry was sitting next to her before asking, "What can I help you with, Harry?"

The young wizard paused to gather his thoughts. _Do I just come out and tell Andi that I am now married to Luna as well as Daphne?_ The troubled wizard pondered. _In the muggle world, it would be unheard of for someone to be married to more than one person._ Granted there were still countries in the Middle East that allowed for that, but Harry was fairly sure England wasn't one of them. "I need some advice," he finally stated.

A slight smile appeared upon Andi's lips. She had figured that sooner or later Harry would come to her. With so many young witches interested in him it had only been a matter of time as she saw it. "Need a little advice on women, do you?" she asked in a humorous tone.

"No," Harry replied with a smile as he ran a hand through his hair. "I'm pretty sure no matter how much advice I get I'll never understand you guys. I've been with Hermione for years now, and I don't really understand her at all. I've found it's better to just try and support her as best I can rather than drive myself crazy attempting to figure her out."

"My first suggestion would be to stop thinking of us as _guys_ ," Andi teased, eliciting a chuckle from Harry which had been her goal. Seeing Harry relax a bit she continued, "If it is not advice on dealing with us then what can I do for you?"

"Well, I know next to nothing about the wizarding world's customs and laws," Harry confessed. "I mean it's not like they have a class for that at Hogwarts, though it certainly would be helpful for those not raised in this world. Things here are just so different than in the Muggle world."

"It was a bit of a culture shock for me as well when I first started dating Ted," Andi admitted. "The information we learned in Muggles Studies was so outdated that none of it even applied any longer. I was ill prepared for the shock of actually stepping out into the Muggle world."

"Muggle Studies hasn't changed," Harry quipped. "I'm sure it was all right a hundred years ago or so but certainly not now. It would be nice if there were some form of cultural class that covered both our worlds."

"Perhaps that is something you can discuss with Marry when she returns," Andi suggested. "If you are truly going to open a school for the Lupin Home that would be the place to do so I would think."

"That's brill, Andi!" Harry exclaimed, turning in his seat and pulling the startled witch into a crushing hug that would have done Missus Weasley proud. "Why didn't I think of that?" Harry asked himself aloud.

"I guess that's why you keep me around," Andi joked, feeling her cheeks heat into a blush as Harry hugged her. "At least I am good for something," she added with a small chuckle.

"And here I thought you were the one keeping me around," Harry bantered back before sitting back a bit so he could look at the witch in his arms. "I think I would be good and truly lost without you around Andi. I certainly need you. Never doubt that" Harry told her sincerely.

Andi's breath hitched in her throat as she looked into the emerald eyes gazing at her so lovingly. The witch suddenly had a burning desire to lean in and kiss the wizard sitting with her. There was a wondrous burning hunger that seemed to blossom within the older witch's chest. A hunger that she had not felt for anyone in a long time. Before she even knew what she was doing Andi found herself slowly closing the distance between their lips.

Harry couldn't believe just how lucky he was to have someone like Andi in his life. The young man had to admit that there was a certain appeal to Andi's maturity and the different way in which she looked at the world around her. _She's one of the few witches I know who is familiar with both the magical as well as muggle world._ Harry's emerald eyes regarded the woman beside him lovingly, looking over the contours of her face till they lighted upon her rich, full lips.

_I could just lean in and capture them. It would be so easy_ , Harry found himself contemplating. _Bloody hell! What am I thinking? She's my cousin!_ The rational part of his mind screamed. _Damn hormones!_ With a great effort, Harry turned away and sat back on the couch, only then to realize that Andi had in fact been leaning in as if to kiss him as well. _I must have been imagining it. I'm already in enough trouble without adding to it_.

"Sorry," Harry offered in a soft voice without even looking at the witch beside him. A part of him wished he had leaned in and finished the kiss, while another part of him was confused as to why he would want to do that to Andi. "For a moment there I thought…well, I'm not sure what I thought," Harry finished with a heavy sigh. The young man's emotions were in a twist as if someone had cast a confundus charm on them. The last few days had been some of the strangest of his life, which was saying a great deal considering what had gone down with Voldemort over the years.

Andi schooled her features as she sat back so as not to show the wealth of disappointment she felt that Harry had apparently rejected her. _Was I wrong?_ She asked herself, assured that she had seen his eyes lock in on her lips and that he had actually started to lean in as if to kiss her only to turn away suddenly. After hearing Harry apologize the words just slipped past Andi's lips before she could stop them, "For a moment there I thought you might kiss me."

Placing his hands upon his knees and being sure to look straight ahead rather than at the beautiful and mature witch beside him, Harry gave her an honest answer. "For a moment there I was."

Andi's heart within her chest thumped to a quick tempo that she was certain was loud enough for the wizard seated beside her to hear. "Why didn't you? I think I'm the only witch here you probably haven't kissed yet," Andi replied. "I was starting to feel a little left out," Andi tried to tease, but it came out in a nervous, trembling tone instead.

For a moment Harry was shocked. _Did she actually want me to kiss her?_ The young man's mind reeled at that thought, certain he must be mistaken. Still, he couldn't deny the spark of hope which ignited in his chest at the thought that maybe, just maybe, someone as wonderful as Andi would be interested in him. That dream came crashing down as he recalled once again exactly why he had asked to speak with her in the first place.

With a tremendous mental effort, he gathered his feelings for Andi as well as his suspicions of her feeling for him and forced them into a back corner of his mind. _There's no time for that now,_ he reasoned _. I'm already married. To two witches none the less!_ "Well, that is sort of why I wanted to speak with you," Harry answered, pausing a moment to gather his thoughts once again. "What are the marriage laws like in the magical world?"

Andi turned and blinked slowly at the man beside her, not having expected such a question from him. _I guess I should have considering what happened with Daphne_ , she finally reasoned. "Not much different than those of the muggle world, Harry. Divorce is a bit more unheard of in our world, though. There aren't any marriage licenses you have to obtain though as magic takes care of that instead. Wondering if there is a way out of your marriage with Daphne?" Andi asked, reminding herself that Harry was already taken, so there really was no chance of anything with him anyways.

"That's part of it," Harry replied a bit evasively. "Are marriages strictly monogamous?" he asked, seeing no way around asking the direct question. It wasn't a topic one could actually ease into as the young man saw it. While he understood he could question his solicitors about it, they would not be available till after the New Year, and he wished to know as soon as possible. Andi was thus the logical choice to ask about the matter.

"One woman not enough for you?" Andi teased, getting it right this time in more ways than one. The intelligent witch didn't fail to notice Harry's rather stiff posture or the play of muscle on his face indicating a clenched jaw. Figuring that there had to have been an important reason for his question, Andi replied, "They have been monogamous for some time now. There was a time when the men of our world married multiple women, but that fell out of practice around the same time that covens did back in the late 1600's."

"So it isn't illegal then, just not practiced in some time?" Harry enquired, turning to regard the witch intently.

"While I am no law major, I believe that the Wizengamot did finally pass some legislation concerning marriage that limited it to a single spouse," Andi answered, puzzled by the young man's question. "Harry, what's this all about? I mean I can see why you'd be interested in marriage laws considering what you're going through with Daphne but why the question about multiple wives?"

Harry's shoulders slumped in defeat. Andi's words had confirmed his worst fears, that he couldn't legally be married to two women at the same time and yet…somehow he was. "I sort of married Luna," he finally confessed.

"You what?" Andi exclaimed in surprise. "How? When?"

"After everything had fallen apart with Daphne, Luna found me and well one thing led to another," Harry offered with a shrug. "It just happened."

"What just happened?" Andi asked insistently. "I need to know everything in order to determine just how much trouble you might be in Harry."

"Everything?" Harry squeaked, recalling just what he and Luna had been up to when he had proposed to the young witch. Seeing Andi nod, Harry felt his face heat into a full blown blush. "We were up in my room," he stammered. "We were a bit busy at the time and, well, I asked her to marry me. There was a flash of magic, and the Lovegood ring appeared on her finger, I guess."

"You guess?" Andi asked for clarification. "How could you not know? Did it appear by magic or not?"

"We were a bit busy at the time, and neither of us saw it," Harry stated a bit defensively. "But it had to be magic! I mean how else could it have gotten there?"

"Busy?" enquired Andi with an arched brow. It was only then that she noticed that Harry's face was beet red all the way to the tips of his ears. Suddenly what he had been trying to indicate clicked. "Oh, _busy_ , busy," Andi said in dawning understanding. "So not only are you married, but you also consummated the marriage," she stated, ignoring the pain of jealousy she felt in her chest. "Wait, the Lovegood ring?"

"Luna's father made me his heir before he passed, which made me the head of the Lovegood family," Harry explained.

"So you're the head of the Lovegood family as well as the Potter and Black families?" Andi asked in a contemplative tone, trying to determine if that made a difference at all or not.

"Is that important?" Harry asked, still blushing from his admission of having made love to Luna.

"I don't know," Andi reluctantly admitted. "I'm no solicitor, so I can't truly say. Usually, if a person is the head of more than one house, they fold whichever house they want into the other one thus by dissolving it. In your case, you're actually the head of three houses, and you haven't dissolved any of them."

"Four actually," Harry offered in an embarrassed tone.

"Really?" Andi questioned in disbelief. "What's the other one?"

"Davis. Tracey's father made me his heir and then advocated the head of house to me," Harry replied.

"That explains how you acquired Divine Dresses," Andi quipped. "Any other young witch's house you've recently been named an heir to?"

Harry could do little more than shake his head in the way of reply as his face felt like it was on fire. "But if magic accepted my marriage to Luna then it should be alright, shouldn't?" he asked, grasping at straws. He wasn't certain what exactly would happen to him and truthfully he really didn't care. Harry's only concern was what would happen to Luna and Daphne and how this would adversely affect the two of them.

_It's all my fault, after all_ , he told himself. _If anyone should get in trouble over this, it should be me. I'm the one who asked Luna to marry me after all, even knowing that I was already married to Daphne_. Harry could only hope that at worst he would be forced to choose between the two of them. If it came to that, he knew that he would pick Luna, simply because he knew Daphne loved another and she had been tricked into marrying him against her will. _Somehow I doubt it will be that simple_.

"I wouldn't be so sure," Andi replied, confirming his fears with those five short words. "The fact that you've married two women still breaks the law set forth by the Wizengamot and there could be repercussions from that as yet. For now, I would suggest keeping this quiet till you've had a chance to speak with your solicitors about it," Andi counseled, wishing she had something more helpful to contribute.

"Thanks, Andi," Harry replied with a small, lopsided smile of appreciation. "That is pretty much what I had already figured out."

"Sorry I couldn't be of more help, Harry," Andi apologized, truly sorry that she couldn't do more.

"I think it helped just being able to talk with someone else about it," Harry told her sincerely. "Any other advice for me?"

"Don't marry anyone else," Andi replied with a teasing grin that was only half in jest.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Work has been crazy busy as I mentioned in my last chapter's Author Note, and it doesn't appear to be letting up anytime soon. I guess I should just count my blessing that I'm employed and getting paid. Due to this, I can't say exactly when the next chapter will be out, but I will do my best to get it out as quickly as possible I assure you.
> 
> This chapter just didn't want to be written for some reason. I'm still not exactly happy with it, but at least we accomplished a few things. Hermione reconciled with her parents, and Harry told Andi he had married Luna. No much in the greater scheme of things but it is a start to healing everything and everyone.
> 
> As always, your reviews are not required, but they are greatly appreciated.
> 
> Kind Regards,
> 
> EJ Daniels
> 
> All characters within this story, unless otherwise stated are the sole property of J. K. Rowling the original writer of the Harry Potter series.


	20. Wayward Witches

**Chapter 20 – Wayward Witches  
…**

Daphne surveyed her room and the assortment of clothing that was laid out, finding none to her liking. "Next time I storm off I'm definitely taking the muggle clothing with me," she mumbled, missing the clothes Harry had bought her. It was early morning on New Year's Eve, and the young witch had finally come to a decision. "Now if I can just figure out what to wear."

It hadn't been an easy decision, but with her sister's pending engagement as well as her own issues, both with Harry as well as Tracey, the young witch knew she didn't have much of a choice. It was perhaps her dislike of the lack of choice that irked her the most and had resulted in her procrastinating for several days. The delay though had provided her with a great deal of time to think things through, and a plan had begun to form.

_No matter what I do, I will have to apologize to Harry and just hope that he doesn't hate me too much_ , thought Daphne as she looked at another dress before tossing it aside. _Harry's as much a victim of my father's scheming as I am_. The young witch still couldn't believe that her father had thought that tricking them into a marriage would give the head of the Greengrass family access to the Black wealth. _Hopefully, Harry doesn't blame me for this entire mess and lumps me in with my father_. The fact that she had done that very same thing to Harry still made her feel terrible.

Setting aside a ghastly dress that had been a present from a distant cousin, Daphne once again wondered about the girl's sense of style before her thoughts returned to the matter at hand. As before her reasoning came to the same conclusion it had every day previously. _There is only one way that father could get his hands on the Black wealth, Harry would have to have died_. It was the only thing that made any sense to her.

The thought that her father would go to such ends to advance his wealth and prestige sent a cold chill down the former Slytherin's spine. _Like there is any way in hell I'd let father, or anyone else lay a finger on my Harry!_ Daphne mentally growled in anger, crumpling the dress in her hands till it was an unrecognizable wrinkled lump of cloth. _I wonder what Harry is doing right now?_ She mused silently, her anger slipping away at the thought of the wizard.

With Harry and her married, should she become pregnant and Harry then die before Daphne came of age then Gerald Greengrass could step in as regent for her and the unborn baby. _As regent, father would have access to everything, and would no doubt transfer all the Black and Potter gold to the Greengrass vaults._ Sighing, the young witch tossed the cloth aside and picked up another one to look at. _I really need to speak with Harry._ Daphne could only hope that he would at least listen to what she had to say.

There was a light knock at the door before it opened and Astoria entered, still dressed in her nightgown. "What happened here?" the younger version of Daphne inquired, eyeing all the clothes strewn about her sister's room. Given that the older girl was very neat and organized it was highly unusual to see her room in such a state.

"At least wait to be told to enter before you come barging in Tori," Daphne quipped, glad for the interruption. It was a long-running issue between the two sisters that had started when Astoria was very little and still continued to this day. "Nothing fits," Daphne complained, glad for her sister's company as it served to distract her from just how much she missed Harry.

"That's because your breasts have gotten bigger," Astoria replied as she crossed the distance to her sister.

"I know, right?" Daphne exclaimed with a pleased grin appearing on her face as she reached up and fondled her own breasts as if to confirm that they had indeed grown larger.

"It's so not fair," Astoria whined, looking down at her much smaller chest. _Even pushing them together barely gives me any cleavage_ , she thought, having once tried it in front of a mirror. The mirror had told her not to worry that there were men who enjoyed tiny breasts too. Astoria hadn't stepped in front of a mirror for nearly a week she had been so embarrassed.

"Don't worry, Tori," Daphne said in an attempt to console her sister, "Greengrass women are known for their full perky breasts. You still have several years of growing to do, so I'm sure you'll fill out in no time."

"Easy for you to say," huffed Astoria as she eyed Daphne's larger chest.

"Look, if you're really concerned about it, the muggles have these things called bras. The salesperson that assisted me told me they have ones that can make you look bigger than you are. I believe she called it a padded pushup bra," Daphne informed the younger girl.

"Really?" Astoria exclaimed, her face lighting up with hope. "Where can I get one?"

"Harry took me to a store that sells women's undergarments," Daphne explained. "The poor thing got so embarrassed that he had to go outside and wait," Daphne chuckled recalling that time fondly. With her memories also came a stab of longing to see the wizard again. It amazed her just how attached she had become to Harry in such a short time. _If anyone back at Hogwarts had told me I would fall in love with Harry Potter and be married to him, I would have reported them to Madam Pomfrey to have their head checked._

"Sissy, you have to take me!" Astoria stated. "I mean like right now!"

Daphne knew she shouldn't be surprised, being well aware of just how self-conscious Astoria in regards to her womanly development or lack thereof. "I will," Daphne promised, hating to disappoint her sister, "but not today. I have more important things to deal with right now."

"What can be more important than helping your sister?" Astoria whined as only little sisters could.

"Helping my sister get out of her engagement," Daphne replied taking the wind out of the younger girl's sails. "I need to go see someone who might be able to help us," she added as an explanation. "I'm certain they can help us, but they may not want to see me. We didn't part on the best of terms last time we saw each other."

"Is it someone important? Is that why you're getting dressed up?" Astoria enquired, once again looking at the piles of clothes tossed about the room.

"Yes on both accounts," Daphne replied as she once again surveyed the scattered clothing and attempted to decide just what to wear. _Making the right impression is important._

"Are you trying to just impress them or distract them," Astoria asked for clarification as she too started looking over the assortment of dresses and garments. Sadly when it came to Wizarding robes, there wasn't lots of variety which meant that there were far more clothes lying about than anything else. It was regarded as unseemly in Pure-blood circles for a grown woman to be caught wearing pants like a man.

"A bit of both," Daphne replied as she picked up a dark gray dress and held it up for inspection. _Too old_ , she mused to herself before tossing it onto the bed.

"Wear this one then," Astoria offered, holding up a rich dark blue dress trimmed in small white lace. The sleeves were long which would help keep the witch warm. It was a simple dress which laced up the front, but it hugged Daphne's curves like a second skin.

Truth be told Daphne had always loved the color on her as it made her blonde hair really stand out, though it had one downside. "I'll have to wear a corset and a petticoat," whined the girl who had become rather used to the Muggle forms of undergarments over the last several months.

"How is that any different from usual?" Astoria asked with a confused look on her face, doubting that her sister would be so bold as to wear nothing under her clothes, especially in the middle of winter.

"Oh Sweetie," Daphne replied as she took the dress from her sister, "I so have to take you shopping with Harry!" It wasn't long before the older witch was dressed and ready to go. "How do I look," Daphne asked as she glanced down at the expanse of bare skin that the low cut dress left revealed. "I feel a bit…exposed," she said as she tried to pull the dress up a bit to cover the swell of her breasts.

"You're perfect," Astoria said as she batted her sister's hands away from adjusting the dress. "I wish I could pull that look off," she added wistfully.

"You still have plenty of time to fill out," Daphne said as she reached out and fondled her sister, receiving a surprised yelp from the younger girl at being groped. "You're much larger than you were at this time last year, Tori. I don't see what you're worried about," Daphne told her sister dismissively.

"Watch where you're grabbing," Astoria scolded the older girl. "How would you like it if I reached out and grabbed a handful of you?"

"Go ahead," replied Daphne. "I wouldn't mind. We're both women, and we're sisters for Morgana's sake."

"Really?" Astoria asked with a surprised look on her face. Daphne just thrust out her chest in the way of answer. The dress was cut low enough that the swell of each breast sat there prominently, as if on display. Astoria hesitantly reached out and gently fondled her sister, finding the other woman's breast to be incredibly soft and warm to the touch. "It's so not fair," Astoria stated flatly as she grasped her own breast with her other hand to compare.

Leaning forward Daphne kissed her sister's brow softly before turning away to fetch a shawl from her wardrobe. "Try that again in a couple years, and I doubt there will be much difference," she said over her shoulder. Tossing the light shawl over her shoulders, Daphne adjusted her hair with a well-practiced use of her hands. "I best be off and get to this," the elder of the witches stated as she strode to the doors to her room.

The two sisters walked in relative silence till they reached the main floor of the manor house. "Thank you, Sissy," Astoria said. "For doing this for me," she added to clarify. "You've always been there for me, and I don't know what I would do without you."

Daphne slipped an arm around the smaller girl's shoulder. "You're my one and only sister, and I love you dearly," she told the girl beside her. "I'll do everything I can to help you, Tori."

"I know," Astoria replied, her head dipping as she felt her cheeks heat into a blush. It always made her feel good when her sister said that she loved her, but that didn't prevent the younger girl from being embarrassed all the same. "I love you too, Sissy," Astoria said, slipping her arm around Daphne's waist and hugging her sister as they walked.

**-oOo-**

Harry reached up and removed the blonde strands of hair from his face. It was their ticklish touch that had awaken him. _Just as well_ , the young man thought to himself, _I have things to do today_. There were always things to do, even over the holidays. _The paperwork never seems to end_ , he thought, stifling a groan so as not to wake the witch beside him. Harry tried to slip from the bed a quietly as possible so as not to disturb Luna who was curled into his side like a little kitten.

The young witch reached out and pulled Harry's pillow into a hug. "Awe, and I was so warm and comfy too," Luna pouted in a sleepy voice, snuggling into the wizard's pillow. "Sneaking off to see another woman, Harry?" Luna teased, cracking one eye open to regard her husband.

"I promised Anna I would have lunch with her," Harry replied with a small smile at the cute picture before his eyes. Luna, messy hair, sleepy face, cocooned within the blankets and hugging his pillow was the definition of adorable in Harry's opinion. "Care to join us?" Harry asked.

"And have her stare daggers at me for cutting into her time with you? I don't think so," Luna replied with a small sleepy chuckle as she burrowed into the covers a bit deeper. "I think I'll stay right here. I'm still rather exhausted from last night."

Harry couldn't help but blush recalling what they had been doing last night. They were still both new to making love, and neither knew what they were doing, but it was great fun trying to figure it out. There were many things about Luna's body that amazed the young man and had completely captivated Harry's interest until late into the night. "Seeing you like that almost makes me want to climb back into bed with you, Luna."

"Why, Harry," the petite witch said, opening both eyes and giving Harry a sultry look, "You're always welcome in my bed." Luna squealed in surprise as Harry dove for the bed and pounced upon the unsuspecting witch, pinning her under the covers so that just her head was visible. "Harry!" Luna giggled loudly just before Harry's lips stole hers and prevented her from saying anything further.

"And a good morning to you too, Missus Lovegood," Harry said with a wide grin once their kiss had ended. Being married to Luna was all new and exciting, and Harry was determined to make the best of it. _I know I will have to square things with Daphne when she is ready but for now, Daphne isn't here, and Luna is_ , he reminded himself as he traded Eskimo kisses with the witch beneath him.

"A girl could get used to waking up like this," Luna told him with a goofy grin on her face. The young witch still found it hard to believe that they were married. _I'm married to Harry!_ She had to tell herself again and again in her head. What was even more surprising to her was that apparently, Harry loved her just as much as she loved him. As long as that was true, then she really didn't mind what Harry did just as long as he continued to love her and allowed her to love him in return.

"You'd best get going Mister Potter before I change my mind and try to entice you back to bed." The young wizard laying atop of her looked truly torn for a long moment. It pleased Luna to see that staying in bed with her was that tempting an offer to make Harry actually debate going or not, but she knew how much Anna meant to the wizard. "Go, Harry," Luna instructed her husband. "You shouldn't keep a lady waiting. It's very rude," she chastised Harry playfully.

Giving the blonde witch another quick kiss, Harry scooted off the bed and quickly got dressed even though he still had some time before he was due over at the Lupin Home. Slipping from his rooms, he made his way down to the main floor of the manor, intent on going to his study. It was early yet, and with Anna not expecting him till a bit later Harry planned to do a little of the never-ending stream of paperwork. Harry's progress was stopped as Kreacher appeared with a soft pop.

"There is a Mister Wright on the floo for the Young Master," the aged elf informed Harry.

"How fortuitous," Harry mumbled considering he had questions for his solicitor. "Thank you, Kreacher," he said a bit louder before altering his course to head for the fireplace. Kneeling down Harry stuck his head into the green flames, not for the first time wondering how someone came up with this method to communicate in the first place. _Just how many wizards burnt their eyebrows off before they got it right I wonder_. "Mister Wright, what can I do for you, Sir?"

"Good day, Mister Potter. I hope you are well?" Daniel Wright's face and voice appeared in the flames.

"Just Harry please. Very well. Is there something I can do for you?" Harry asked, more than a little curious as to why his solicitor would be contacting him on New Year's Eve of all times. _This will save me from having to write out a letter concerning what has happened with Daphne and Luna._

"I have some news concerning the Lovegood matter. I know you've been rather concerned about it, so I wanted to get our results to you as quickly as possible," Daniel answered. The diligent solicitor had worked during the holidays to check the last of their facts and felt confident they had determined the best course of action for their client.

"Please come through," Harry offered, withdrawing his head from the flames and standing up to make room for the wizard's arrival. Once the older wizard had stepped from the floo, removed the ashes from his clothes with a flick of his wand, Harry gestured with one hand, "Why don't we go to the study where we can discuss this in private."

It wasn't long before the two wizards were seated comfortable within Harry's study, behind privacy wards and with the door sealed. Harry, having spoken with Luna about the vow he had made Xeno Lovegood, already knew what Daniel was going to tell him. _Sooner or later our magic would have forced us together, and I would have given Luna a baby_ , Harry recalled. _We just decided to speed things up on our own rather than let our magic force us into a situation. We already cared for each other so why wait?_ "So, what conclusion did you come to Mister Wright?"

"Daniel, please," the solicitor replied with a kind smile, only to receive a nod from Harry. "After going over what you provided us we've come to the conclusion that the easiest manner in which you could meet all of the requirement of your vow would be for you to just adopt Miss Lovegood," Daniel offered with a confident smile.

"What?" Harry asked dumbfounded.

"Adopt her. She would become your sister if you were to adopt her into the Potter family," Daniel explained. "You could adopt her as your daughter as well I guess though given your ages that might be a bit more confusing. In either case, it would provide her with the family, you swore to give her. As you're already taking care of her and financially providing for her, you've met those requirements. Staying here means that her safety is in your hands as well."

"Adopt her?" Harry asked in a shaky voice. "Not marry her?"

"I suppose that would work as well, though it seems a bit drastic," Daniel replied with a thoughtful frown. "Do you think Miss Lovegood would be open to adoption?" Daniel enquired.

"Doubtful at this point," Harry absently answered as his head was still reeling from the blunder he and Luna had apparently made. "And it is Missus, not Miss apparently."

"I don't understand," Daniel replied, utterly confused by this point, both by Harry's words as well as his lack of enthusiastic response the solicitor was confident his client would have when told the news. It was a simple answer to a rather tough problem after all. As the Head of the Lovegood House, Harry could do the adoption simply by filing the appropriate paperwork, which Daniel had brought with him. "So she wouldn't want to be adopted?"

"Considering she's my wife, I rather doubt it," Harry replied with a long heavy sigh before launching into what had happened. "So, I proposed and she accepted and we," the young wizard paused to recall the word Andi had used, "consummated the marriage. The Lovegood wedding ring appeared on her finger at some point."

"Well, I will say that having you for a client is never a dull moment, Harry," Daniel said into the silence following Harry's explanation.

"You have no idea," Harry mumbled, recalling his life and all that had gone wrong in it since his birth. The death of his parents. The attempts on his life almost every year while attending Hogwarts. Now with Voldemort finally defeated once and for all he had thought he'd have a nice quiet life. Apparently, that was not to be the case.

"I hardly know where to begin," Daniel Wright said, running over Harry's story in his mind. "So Miss Greengrass left?"

"Missus Black," Harry corrected, "but that is accurate. I haven't heard from her since. Andi said I should give her some time and that she would eventually come back when she was ready to talk about what happened."

"That's probably for the best," Daniel agreed. "If you start nosing around looking for her word is bound to get out. I'm certain the press would love to get wind of this story." Harry couldn't help but cringe at the thought of someone like Rita Skeeter getting her hands on the details of his love life. "Best to keep this as quiet as possible for the time being."

"Andi said that it wasn't exactly legal for a wizard to be married to two witches at the same time. Just how much trouble am I in, Daniel?" Harry asked nervously.

"She is correct in that it isn't legal to be so," Daniel answered truthfully. "Penalties can vary depending on the women involved. The first wife could claim grievance and demand compensation. In this case, as Daphne is underage her family could claim grievances in her stead."

"But our magic accepted it!" Harry pointed out with a touch of desperation in his tone. "How is that even possible if it isn't legal?" The young man felt terrible for the mess he'd made of things. _I just wanted to have a choice in who I married. Is that really too much to ask?_ "Merlin but I've bollixed their lives up terribly haven't I?"

"Now hold on, Harry, before you go and get upset. If magic accepted it then that has to mean something," Daniel quickly said in an effort to calm his client. "Let me do some digging and see what I can find out about what transpired with Miss Greengrass. I am not currently aware of any marriage laws involving the purchase of a wand. Until we know exactly what happened and how it was done, we're really just guessing in the dark."

"In the meantime, I'll start drawing up the paperwork to have the Potter house folded into one of the other ones. Any preference as to which house you'd like it to be added to?" Daniel asked. All they could do at the moment was damage control and try to keep what happened under wraps for the time being.

"Why does it have to be folded in at all?" Harry enquired, not wishing to give up his family name if he didn't have to. If there were to be children in his future, he wanted them to have the same surname as he did. _I'll not have the Potter line die out with me if I can help it!_

"We're not sure how this marriage was done, and the fact that you're the head of several houses may be what allowed it to occur. If we can fold the remaining house in then we at least close off that avenue of the possibility of someone else to do the same thing and landing you in even greater trouble," Daniel clarified. "You can always fold it out again at a later date if you want to. It's not unheard of for Heads of Houses to fold out older extinct houses and bestowing them on their children or other relations."

Harry still didn't like the thought of merging the Potter name into another family. _It's the only connection I have to my mum and dad, after all_ , he reasoned. Still, he was bright enough to see the reasoning behind doing so. _I can always pull it back out again_. "Alright, then you'd better do the Davis one as well. Place them with the Black family name I guess." Seeing the confused look on Daniel's face, Harry proceeded to explain just how he had become the head of the Davis family.

"Never a dull moment," Daniel said with a low whistle of disbelief as he conjured a quill and parchment to make notes so he wouldn't forget an item. "Anything else I need to know?" Seeing Harry shake his head negatively the solicitor stood. "Well, then I had better be off so I can start researching this matter. I would advise you to remain at home and try not to marry anyone else for the time being," Daniel quipped with a grin, attempting to lighten the mood.

"Understood," Harry replied a bit sheepishly. "I have to get over to the Lupin Home for a lunch date myself," Harry offered, shaking the man's hand and walking Daniel to the floo. "Don't worry, she isn't of the marrying age," Harry added in his own attempt at humor.

"Are you certain?" Daniel joked back, reasoning that if Harry still had his sense of humor, then he must be doing alright. The solicitor couldn't help but chuckle as Harry's face paled and he got a very concerned look in his eye. After saying their farewells, the two men parted ways, one returning home via the floo and the other off to see Anna.

**-OoO-**

Lunch with Anna had been a fun affair as it always was. Faced with the small girl's determination and spirit Harry's own problems suddenly didn't seem all that troublesome. While at the Lupin Home Harry had visited with a few other families and children till Susan had run him off before bedlam could descend, as was the norm when his presence was discovered.

After spending some time with Luna and Teddy, Andi being at work but due home for the evening meal, Harry had retired to his study once more to do the paperwork he had neglected to do that morning due to Daniel's visit. There were a number of bills that needed to be signed for so they could be paid and a summation of the books for Divine Dresses by Davis sent over from Bob.

Harry's head was beginning to hurt from trying to make sense of the numbers when he was interrupted by a light clearing of a throat. The young wizard's eyes widened slightly upon seeing who was standing in the doorway. For a long moment, Harry could do little more than stare in disbelief. "Hey," he finally managed to squeak out.

"I knocked, but you didn't seem to hear me," said Daphne in a slightly nervous tone of voice.

"Captivating world of accounting," Harry quipped.

"I'll take your word for it," Daphne replied with a small hesitant smile as she watched Harry rise and walk around his desk.

Harry crossed the distance between them and taking a page from Hermione's book, pulled the startled witch into a fierce hug. "I am so sorry, Daphne! I had no idea that would happen," Harry told her, crushing her to his chest. "Are you alright? Can you ever forgive me?"

Daphne froze for a moment as Harry hugged her, but then her arms embraced the wizard, and she clung to him just as tightly. Harry's reaction to her sudden appearance certainly wasn't what she had expected. _I thought for certain he would be angry with me. Merlin knows I certainly was when that ring appeared!_ The fact that Harry was apologetic and apparently worried about her caused Daphne's heart to skip a beat or three. She hadn't realized just how much she had missed ' _Harry Hugs'_ till that moment. There, wrapped in Harry's arms, the young witch felt truly safe.

"No," Daphne replied with a light shake of her head to emphasise her words, "I'm the one who needs to apologize. I'm sorry for what father has done to you. I am mostly sorry for not trusting you and just jumping to the conclusion I did! I should have known better. You must hate me!" Daphne said in a tearful voice. "I even struck you!" she added, pulling back to look at the man in her arms. "Are you alright?" Daphne asked, hastily scanning over his face for any signs of damage she might have caused.

"I'm fine," Harry assured her, having used magic to heal his blackened eye. "I received far worse growing up-," the man's words trailed off as his eyes saw the split lip Daphne still sported. While the swelling had subsided the witch had not healed it as she wanted to remind her father just what he had done every time he'd seen her. "Who hit you?" Harry asked, his voice suddenly hard and steely.

"Father," Daphne replied with a forced chuckle, trying to play it off as if it was of little consequence. The fact that Harry was apparently angry on her behalf warmed her insides and set her pulse racing. "It may have had something to do with the fact that I had my wand pointed at his chest at the time," she added seeing as Harry wasn't going to let it drop all that quickly.

"That's still no reason to hit you," Harry replied evenly as he reached out and touched the healing cut only for Daphne to wince. "Sorry," Harry mumbled dropping his hand and looking down only to hastily look away. With Daphne pressed tightly against his chest, combined with her low cut dress, had the young woman nearly popping out, giving the wizard a rather delightful eyeful.

Catching Harry's reaction Daphne looked down before hastily stepping away from the man, her cheeks heating rapidly. "I...it's okay," she stammered, turning away from the wizard slightly as her cheeks turned a bright red.

"That's a good color on you," Harry said after a few awkward moments of silence between them. "The dress I mean…though the blushing's not bad either," he added with a cheeky grin. The two stared at each other before breaking out into laughter and dispelling the tension between them. "So, where do we go from here, Daphne?" Harry finally asked once the laughter had dwindled.

Daphne's expression turned somber quickly upon hearing his question. "I have some thoughts on that actually if you'd care to listen to them?" Harry gestured to the chairs before his desk and rather than return to his original seat he took the chair beside Daphne's. No sooner had they seated themselves than a tray set for tea appeared on the small table between them. "Thank you, Winky," Daphne said to the air.

For the next half hour, Harry sat and listened to Daphne's plan, asking questions about certain aspects of it when he required clarification. Once the young witch had finished the former Gryffindor sat and pondered it for only the barest amount of time before voicing his opinion. "I have to admit that I'm a bit surprised. I thought for certain you would want to get out of the marriage, Daphne."

"Well, I admit I was a bit shocked and overwhelmed at first. I thought you were working with my father," Daphne admitted. "Not to put too fine a point on it but it would have been a very Slytherin thing to do," she told him, setting her nearly finished cup of tea aside.

"Yes, I think I got that point rather quickly," Harry teased, reaching up and rubbing his eye. The young wizard reveled silently in the ability to once again just sit and talk with Daphne. Being able to tease her was just icing on the cake as far as Harry was concerned.

"I said I was sorry," Daphne huffed, trying hard not to grin. _Merlin but I have missed our playful banter!_ "Besides, if I know father then I doubt there is a way out," she told him, bringing their conversation back on topic. "He's too shrewd a business person to leave such an opening to be exploited. It is a fact I am counting on."

Harry could do little more than shake his head in disbelief. While he couldn't fault Daphne's reasoning, there were still a great many things that could go wrong. _I guess I should have realized she would come up with something devious_ , Harry mused. _She was in Slytherin after all_. "Alright, I'm in," he finally stated.

Daphne arched a brow and regarded Harry for a long moment. "I must say, you're taking this whole ' _someone is trying to kill you_ ' really well, Harry." She had expected Harry to be furious, but once again he had surprised her. Rather than rant and rave Harry had sat and listened attentively to what she had to say.

Harry snorted humorously, "Voldemort was trying to kill me my entire life, but I managed to stay alive. A scheming, greedy, manipulative father is a rather refreshing change of pace, I think. Besides, I doubt very much that your father is anywhere near as strong magically as Voldemort was."

Shaking her head slowly in disbelief, Daphne had no answer to that. She doubted very much that her father would actually attack Harry as that would not be advantageous to his plans. _The Wizarding world at large would want his head on a silver platter. They'd have to wait in line behind me!_ "If this works out the way I've planned, there is something I need your help with afterward, Harry. It has to do with my sister Astoria."

"Oh?" Harry inquired in a concerned tone. "Anything I can do now to help?" It wasn't in his nature not to help if he could in some manner. The Lupin Home had come about due to Harry seeing a problem and wanting to do something about it. Even the witches currently residing at Westfield Manor were there because Harry reached out to help them.

_What should I do_? Daphne asked herself. The young witch was torn between her concern for her sister and what her father would do if Astoria suddenly left to live there at Westfield. _Would father suspect something was amiss if Tori came to live with me?_ Given that her father knew she was married to Harry there was that possibility. "Would it be alright if Astoria came and stayed for a little while? I don't mean move in or anything," Daphne quickly clarified. "It's just been really nice spending time with her again."

"I don't see why not," Harry answered. "She's your sister after all. We can fix one of the available rooms up for her. Want I should send a letter to your father?" he asked, reaching over to his desk for a quill and parchment.

"I can take it with me when I go and get her. Thank you, Harry," Daphne said sincerely as Harry handed her the hastily written message. "It will be fun having her here. Well, I guess I had best be off," the young witch said, rising to her feet. "I'll go collect a few things from home and be back in time for dinner if that is alright?"

"Sounds good," Harry answered, rising to his feet as well. The two stood and stared at each other nervously for several long moments. "Umm is this as awkward for you as it is for me?" Harry finally asked with a small chuckle as he ran a hand through his hair.

Daphne seized the moment and leaned it, giving the startled wizard a quick kiss on the lips. "Certainly. I guess we'll figure it all out as we go, Harry," she told him before stepping away and walking towards the door only to pause and turn back to face Harry. "It wasn't an accident, you know? Me waiting by the curb and all," she confessed nervously. It was a fact that had bothered her for some time and she felt now was a good a time to come clean if ever there was one.

Harry gave a small, lopsided grin. "Thank you, Daphne. I may not have been sorted into Ravenclaw, but even I had already figured that out. Still, I'm glad you decided to tell me."

"You knew, but you didn't say anything?" Daphne asked in disbelief.

"I figured you had your reasons," Harry told her with a slight shrugging of his shoulders. "I had hoped you'd tell me on your own, which you did, so no harm as far as I see it."

"If we're to be married then I wanted it to be with no secrets between us, Harry," Daphne told him. "I think it is important that we be honest with each other." Receiving a nod of agreement from Harry, Daphne smiled. "See you at dinner," she said with a small wave before turning about and walking towards the door once more.

"Daphne," Harry called out to the witch just before she reached the door. All through their conversation, the young wizard had been debating about telling Daphne about his marriage to Luna. She had a right to know he figured. The words were right there upon his lips as Daphne turned and gave him a small curious smile that set his heart to racing. "I'm glad you're home," he heard himself say instead.

"It's nice to be home," Daphne replied, her smile growing to dazzling proportions upon hearing his words. Daphne recalled something else as she was turning back to the door, "You haven't seen Tracey have you?"

"I thought she was with you," Harry replied in a surprised tone of voice.

"We had an argument, and she stormed out. I tried flooing to the Davises but their floo connection must be down or something as I can't seem to reach them," Daphne explained with a vexed frown.

With the Davises selling off all they owned there wouldn't be a fireplace for the floo to connect to any longer. At least not one belonging to the Davis family anyways. Left with no home to return to and probably little money, Harry had a good idea where the missing witch might be. "Let me see if I can find her."

"Alright," Daphne agreed with a grateful smile. "See you soon," she added before turning away and leaving.

Harry couldn't help but watch the sway of Daphne's hips as she departed. It had taken almost all his willpower not to sit there and stare at the woman's chest during their discussion. _Talk about distracting!_ The ecstatic wizard thought as he returned to his seat behind the desk to finish up a bit of paperwork before going to find their missing witch. While Harry felt bad about not telling Daphne about Luna, till they knew what was to come of it, he felt there was no need to worry her needlessly.

**-oOo-**

Tracey Davis was not a happy witch, and she was fairly certain that she was to blame for her current predicament. She was the one that rushed off to console Daphne and then ran off yet again when they argued. "Bloody hell I miss those Muggle clothes," Tracey growled not for the first time. Having left Westfield with nothing more than her wand, she found she didn't have a thing to wear or a knut to her name.

Truth be told her clothes were not the only thing she was missing. It just felt wrong to be separated from Daphne. The twain had been inseparable for so many years that Tracey actually felt like a part of her was missing when the other witch was not around. The young woman also missed the others from Westfield, having grown accustomed to having them all be a part of her life. Tracey even missed Harry, but for a slightly different reason.

When leaving the Greengrass Manor, as if it things weren't bad enough when she tried to floo back to her own home the floo hadn't connected to the Davis home. "The ruddy thing didn't connect at all!" Uncertain of just what had happened, Tracey had flooed to the Leaky Cauldron instead and made her way into Diagon Alley. From there it was just a short walk to the storefront she was looking for, Divine Dresses by Davis.

Thankfully the wards acknowledged her as a partial owner and had allowed her entry. The confused and distraught witch had lost little time in writing a letter to her father. It had been a cold and lonely night for Tracey, sleeping on the couch in the loft above the store. The room had originally been designed to be used as a small apartment, but now the space was filled with bolts of cloth, patterns, and tools required for the making of dresses sold in the store below.

Twice more Tracey wrote home only to receive no response. As the owls did not return with her letters, she could only assume they were delivered. _It has to be mother_ , she reasoned as she let herself out of the store and headed towards the Leaky Cauldron for dinner. _I wouldn't put it past her to hide the letters from Papa. Morgana help her if she ever did anything nice for me._ It was painful for the young woman to know her own mother didn't love her. A fact that didn't help her own low self-esteem issues.

It was New Year's Eve, and the Alley was nearly empty of people. Most people were home getting ready to go out with their friends and family to welcome in the New Year. "Here I am grabbing an early dinner all by myself," she told herself aloud. Around her, the shops were closing up for the night as few would be about to purchase anything unless it were food and spirits you were selling.

The young witch, dressed in one her mother's less flashy creations from the store, waved to Tom and took a seat in a corner booth. The old barkeep had been kind enough to let her run up a tab for her meals, bless his heart. The past several days had been spent in the store trying to decide what to do with everything. Tracey has realized early on that she needed to get the store open again and running as quickly as possible.

"What can I get you tonight, Miss Tracey," Tom asked after making his way over.

"Whatever the special is tonight, please, and a Butterbeer," Tracey replied with a smile for his troubles. It wasn't long before the man returned with a generous portion of Sheperd's Pie with a side helping of mushy peas. Tracey thanked the barkeep and dug into her meal with enthusiasm. To help keep expenses down and not run up her tab with Tom too quickly, she had stopped eating lunch altogether.

"Mind if I join you," Harry asked, slipping into the seat across from the startled witch. "I know Tom's food is good, but you look as if you're truly enjoying that," the young wizard added with a warm smile.

Tracey was torn between wanting to eat and the desire to place as much distance between herself and the wizard across from her as soon as possible. An insistent growl from her stomach was the deciding factor as her body complained that the food had ceased to arrive in a timely fashion. "What do you want, Potter?" Tracey growled eerily reminiscent of the tone her stomach had just used seconds before.

Harry's grin widened upon hearing just how hungry Tracey was apparently. "Just a chance to explain. Nothing else, Tracey. I think you owe me at least that much after the last few months," Harry stated with a sincere smile.

The young witch eyed Harry warily as she chewed for a long moment. _Damn him and that smile! It's not like I have anything pressing to do at the moment,_ she mused _. The only thing waiting for me is a cold loft and a lumpy couch followed by more of the same tomorrow._ "You've got till I'm finished eating," she finally told him, cursing the part of her heart that was happy to see him.

Harry waved Tom off as the man had stepped from the bar to see if he needed anything. The patrons of the establishment, what few there were, could be seen looking in his direction. "Mind if I put up some privacy wards?" Harry asked.

"Suit yourself, Potter," Tracey said, taking another large bite of her food.

Running his hand through his messy locks, Harry used the gesture to discreetly cast a privacy ward that would prevent others from hearing what they said as well as from reading their lips. "That's a bit better," the young wizard said as he noticed several people turning away and back to their drinks. "How are you, Tracey?" Harry asked, his brow creased in concern for the witch.

Tracey yet again cursed her stupid heart that fluttered when Harry asked how she was doing. _How can he do that so damn easily? After what he did to Daphne I should truly hate him!_ While a part of her did, there was also a part that didn't and felt just the opposite. "Well enough," she replied with an angry glare. "If that's all you have to say then you can shove off and leave me be, Potter."

With a heavy sigh, Harry sat back in his seat and gathering his Gryffindor courage and just decide to place it all on the table. "I spoke with Daphne today. She asked about you and if I had seen you or not. She mentioned you two had an argument or something and that you'd left. I figured you might be at the shop and when I didn't find you there, I thought I'd check and see if Tom had seen you. Imagine my surprise to find you sitting here having an early dinner."

"Amazing luck you have, Potter," Tracey replied dryly. "It's not like everyone visiting the Alley doesn't pass through here or something," Tracey added before taking another significant portion of the pie from her plate and eating it. "Get to your point," she told him around the food in her mouth.

"Look, Tracey, we want you to come back home. To Westfield," Harry told her earnestly.

"The two of you?" Tracey inquired with an arched brow. "Didn't take any time at all for the two of you to make up it seems," the witch said flatly.

"There really wasn't much to make up for," Harry said. "We were both victims of her father's scheming after all. Daphne said he told her that he set the entire thing up so that he could get his hands on the Black gold. She believes that her father plans to kill me. As Daphne is underage, that means that he'll be her guardian and as such will be able to do whatever he wants, at least till she is of age."

"Kill you?" Tracey paled upon hearing his words, her anger suddenly forgotten. "Is he mental?"

"Daphne doesn't believe he'll do it himself. If the wizarding world suddenly hated him for offing their hero that would be bad for business apparently," Harry replied with a smirk. "She thinks he'll hire others to do it instead."

"I wouldn't be so sure, Harry. Gerald Greengrass isn't a man who's afraid to get his hands dirty," Tracey cautioned the wizard. Having practically grown up in the Greengrass household, finding any time away from her mother to be a good thing, Tracey was well aware of how Daphne's father was. "You might want to be a little more concerned."

"I've met the man and Voldemort he is not," Harry stated. "If I can survive that madman's attempts on my life every year I believe I can handle one pure-blood out to make a name for himself. Besides, he'll get his in the end."

Tracey stared blankly at Harry for a long moment. It was all too easy to forget that the Dark Lord himself couldn't kill Harry Potter. _All it takes is one lucky spell, though_ , she quickly reminded herself. "Wait, you have a plan," Tracey accused not sure if she should be pleased or worried. Gryffindors, after all, were known more for rushing in with wands blazing, the epitome of the proverbial bull in a china shop, than for using their heads.

"Oh no, not me," Harry clarified. "I'm great at thinking on my feet but pants at planning anything. Daphne is the one with the scheme. I'm not even really involved with it other than to let her have access to my solicitors."

"Really?" Tracey voiced in a relieved tone, sitting back in her seat, the food on the table before her forgotten. "So what does she have planned?" the former Slytherin asked, her curiosity getting the better of her. The last thing Tracey wanted was for any harm to come to Harry. If Daphne had a plan, she could bet it was a relatively good one.

Harry glanced about the place, his eyes lingering on every person there. Though he might sound rather flippant about Gerald Greengrass wanting him killed, the young wizard hadn't survived by being stupid. Well, at least not any more than Hermione would allow him to get away with in most cases. "I think there might be better places to talk about this, Tracey. Why don't you come home and you can ask Daphne about it directly?" Harry suggested hopefully.

"And watch the two of you play newlyweds?" Tracey asked with a scrunched up ' _eww_ ' face at the very thought.

"It's not like that," Harry insisted. "Daphne returned home to get her sister who will be staying for a while to visit," he explained. "Between that, you and what Daphne has planned, I doubt she'll have much time for the likes of me."

"How do I even know what you've told me is the truth?" Tracey pressed, trying to find some reason to not go with him and yet wanting to go all the same.

"I'll gladly swear to it," Harry offered, his wand appearing in his hand almost instantly. "I, Harry James Potter, swear-"

"Don't!" Tracey exclaimed as her hand shot forward and covered Harry's wand. "I believe you," she told him.

"That's the second time you stopped me from giving you a vow to prove I was telling the truth," said Harry, referring to that night in the kitchen. "Do you really trust me that much or just don't like to be the recipient of vows?" Harry asked half-jokingly.

"Vows are tricky things depending on how they are worded," Tracey told him. Having experienced that first hand with Luna's father, Harry had to agree with her. "They should never be taken lightly or used where the facts can be verified another way."

"I understand, but then how do you plan to determine if I am telling the truth or not?" Harry asked.

Tracey set her napkin aside and stood. "By talking to Daphne of course," she said as she headed for the floo. "Coming?" Tracey asked over her shoulder to get the stunned wizard moving from his seat. Seeing Daphne was something she needed to do. Adding a warm bed and a hot shower to that was more than Tracey could pass up. _I can finally change into some comfortable clothes as well!_

Harry hastened to follow, hoping that Tracey and Daphne could patch things up. _If Tracey is there along with Daphne's sister, it should keep her occupied till Daniel can figure out exactly what trouble I've gotten myself into_ , he reasoned. Harry stopped at the bar and settled Tracey's tab before joining the witch at the fireplace before they both disappeared in a flash of green flames.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Before I get bombarded by people saying that Harry let Daphne off too easy, it really was neither of their faults, both having been fooled by Gerald Greengrass. Sometimes people simply react badly…we all do every now and then. We already know Harry has the ability to easily forgive those he cares about *cough*RON*cough*. For better or for worse he is married to Daphne and why make matters worse by making her suffer. That would be rather petty on his part, no? Harry never struck me as the petty type.
> 
> As always, your reviews are not required, but they are greatly appreciated.
> 
> Kind Regards,
> 
> EJ Daniels
> 
> All characters within this story, unless otherwise stated are the sole property of J. K. Rowling the original writer of the Harry Potter series.


	21. Little Secrets

**Chapter 21 – Little Secrets  
…**

Harry stepped from the floo and into Westfield Manor only to see Tracey already hastening towards the stairs. _She's not wasting any time in verifying what I told her_ , he thought with an amused smile. Figuring he was better off to let the two witches work out whatever their issue was, Harry made his way over to the living room area.

"Was that Tracey?" Luna asked from her seat on the couch.

"Right in one," Harry replied as he climbed down onto the floor to lay on his stomach next to Teddy who was busy playing with a multitude of blocks. "She's off to talk with Daphne," the wizard added as he began stacking the blocks, much to Teddy's delight.

_He never fails to amaze me_ , Luna thought as she watched Teddy and Harry play on the floor. The young witch didn't even want to know how Harry had managed to talk Tracey into returning. _No doubt he turned on that irresistible Potter charm of his_ , she mused. "Daphne is here?" Luna inquired with an arched brow, not having seen the witch.

"Not sure. If Daphne isn't here yet then I expect her shortly," answered Harry. "Her younger sister, Astoria, will be staying for a visit as well. I get the impression that there is some issue with the sister, but as of right now I really don't know what. Daphne said she missed spending time with her sister so how could I say no?" Harry told Luna just as he placed the last block in place only to have Teddy swat at them and send them flying in all directions.

"Again! Again!" the toddler demanded, clapping his hands and grinning from ear to ear. Harry just chuckled, having suspected what was going to happen by the look of anticipation on Teddy's face as the child had watched the blocks being stacked.

"I recall her I think. Slytherin, like Daphne. She was a year behind me," Luna said with a smile as she watched the two men in her life play. "I wonder if she's like Daphne?" Luna couldn't help but smirk slightly at yet another woman coming to stay at Westfield. _Harry attracts women like bees to honey_. Not that she blamed them for their good taste in men.

"No clue," Harry answer absently, concentrating on stacking blocks. He could see Teddy bouncing in place just waiting to demolish them as soon as he was done. "I've never met her while I was at Hogwarts. Other than Draco and his group I didn't have anything to do with the other Slytherins. Not even Daphne or Tracey. If it makes Daphne happy though, then what's one more person here?" Harry asked rhetorically.

"Speaking of Daphne," Luna began, not certain just how to broach the subject with Harry. "How did that come about?" the nervous witch asked, choosing a safer topic rather than the one she really wanted to ask. _How do you ask something like that?_ She wondered. _'So, have you told your other wife about me yet'_ just didn't seem right somehow. _At least I know why I wasn't sorted into Gryffindor_.

"Andi nailed it," Harry replied.

"I did?" the elder witch's voice asked from near the hearth, Luna, and Harry having apparently been too focused on what they were doing to notice the floo flaring to life. "What exactly did I get right?" Andi asked as she removed ash from her clothes with a flick of her wand before heading in their direction.

Harry started stacking blocks again for the happy toddler. The blocks leaned to one side. Gravity would have toppled them if it wasn't for Harry's magic that he infused into each block to keep them in place. "Daphne came and saw me today," he explained to the two witches. "I guess she'd had enough time to cool off, just like you said."

"Well, of course, I was right," Andi told him in a fraudulent smug tone. "How could you ever have doubted me," she teased as she squatted down and kissed the crown of Teddy's head. The child was too engrossed in what Harry was doing with the blocks to even notice. Not to be left out, Harry stretched his neck up to exchange pecks on the cheeks with the returning witch. "So what happened?" Andi enquired as she seated herself on the ottoman directly behind Teddy.

"Nothing much. We talked a bit and apologized to each other. I think we both knew it was neither of our faults," Harry told them while finishing up with the blocks. "It was her father who caused all the trouble. He even told her directly that he had set the marriage up so he could get his hands on the Black's gold. We shared a laugh and in the end decided that we'd take it day by day," Harry finished with a slight shrug as Teddy sent the blocks flying yet again.

"That's it?" Andi asked in disbelief, a smile touching her lips none the less at Teddy's squeals of laughter and pleas for Harry to do it again.

"What else was there to do? I think we both suffered enough and any more just seemed rather silly. Besides, Daphne has a plan," Harry replied as he raised a hand and summoned the blocks that were out of reach to him one at a time.

Luna and Andi shared an insufferable look at the lack of explanation from Harry. It always amazed them how half the world's population could leave out all the details and find that completely acceptable.

"So what's her plan?" Andi finally asked with a frustrated edge to her voice.

"No clue," Harry replied absently as he started stacking the blocks on their corners making them look like diamonds. "She just asked to borrow my solicitors," he clarified. "I told her that as we're married, they were technically her solicitors as well."

"So you told her about Luna then?" Andi asked.

"Um, no," Harry answered, looking up at Andi before turning his gaze towards Luna. "Mister Wright said to keep it quiet for the time being till he can determine just how much trouble I've managed to get us all in," Harry explained. "The last thing we want right now is for the press to get wind of this. I'm fairly sure Daphne hexing me into an intensive care unit at St. Mongo's would be front page news."

"I know this isn't how you had things planned, Luna," Harry said, seeing the young witch wilt at his words. "I'm ecstatic to be married to you, Luna and I can't wait for the day when I can tell the entire world! It just can't be right now though," the young wizard added, hating the very words that were coming out of his mouth and the pain they were causing the witch before him.

Luna offered a small hesitant smile, partially mollified by his wanting to tell the entire world of their marriage. "Of course. I understand, Harry," she said to him though she really didn't understand. _This is Harry._ _If he says there is a good reason for it then there must be_ , she told herself. Luna knew that she could trust Harry, but it still hurt a little, if she was honest with herself, not being able to tell others. "I take it you know?" Luna asked, looking towards Andi only to see the older witch give a slight nod.

"I needed someone to talk to about it," Harry explained, "and Andi seemed to be the logical choice. She's been raised in all the old pure-blood traditions, and so I figured she would be well versed in wizarding world marriage laws." Being related and also less prone to sudden angry outbursts were also deciding factors in Harry approaching Andi. _The lesser of possible evils_ , Harry recalled thinking at the time.

"Being older and having been married once does not make one an expert," Andi was quick to point out. "Most people don't pay a great deal attention to laws unless they directly affect them. I do know however that there are laws that were passed some time ago to prevent polygamy, both in our world as well as the muggle one. I'm glad to hear you brought your solicitor into the matter, Harry. Hopefully, they can figure a way out of this mess."

"I knew it was too good to be true," Luna spoke softly before Harry could respond to Andi. "You'll have to break our marriage as I was the second wife," the petite witch stated in a sad little voice. "I couldn't have asked for a better husband, Harry. It has been rather enjoyable, especially the nights," Luna told him without a hint of embarrassment.

"Whatever are to talking about, Luna?" Harry asked as he got to his knees and made his way over to kneel before the former Ravenclaw Prefect. "It won't come to that," he said as he took her hands in his and held them, trying to reassure her. Behind him, the blocks tumbled to the ground as Harry was no longer concentrating on them. Teddy laughed and thought it was wonderful all the same.

"You don't know that Harry," Luna pointed out. "If you can't be married to both of us then it would only be fair for you to remain with Daphne as she was your first wife."

"If it comes to that, and only _IF_ , I'll find a way to break things off with Daphne," Harry said, only to see a spark of hope ignite within the silver eyes before him. "I mean she and I are only married because her father tricked us into it. I'm sure she doesn't want to be married. She loves someone else after all." Harry gave the hands clasped within his a gentle squeeze. "I chose you, Luna," Harry reminded the witch before him.

A smile appeared on Luna's face, and her cheeks blushed at Harry's words. _He did choose me_ , she had to remind herself. _Out of everyone else, Harry wanted to marry me_. That fact warmed her heart and lifted any doubt she had at all that Harry might want to actually be with her. Seeing the love in Harry's eyes, she had to look away, feeling more than a little unworthy of it right at that moment for having doubted him.

Andi and Luna exchanged knowing looks for a brief second, sharing a silent conversation with just a glance. "Are you certain Daphne loves another?" Andi asked. Like Luna, Andi was acutely aware of how the other witches that had been staying at Westfield felt about their host. _Even I could fall for him if he weren't already taken_ , Andi told herself, not wanting to admit that maybe, just maybe, she had already fallen for the young man. While it may not be the appropriate thing to do, falling for a married man, the heart did not always listen to what was logical or proper.

"She told me she did," Harry answered in a slightly confused tone, turning to look at Andi. While he hadn't known Daphne all that well at the time, he didn't see why she would have any reason to lie to him about such a thing. "From what little she has told me I gather there is some issue that prevents them from getting married though."

"So then there would be no issue with her being married to you?" Luna asked, drawing Harry's attention back to her. "I mean if she can't marry this other person she's in love with."

"Why would she want to marry someone she didn't love?" Harry asked. The young wizard knew that he would never be able to marry someone he didn't love. _And yet you are married to her_ , a small voice in his head reminded him. _I guess I do love her_ , he thought, the sudden realization coming as a bit of a surprise. While Harry had known he was attracted to Daphne, he truthfully hadn't tried to determine just how far those feeling went.

"Are you all that confident she doesn't love you, Harry?" Luna asked softly. It had been abundantly clear to the bright witch that both Daphne and Tracey had feelings for Harry before everything fell apart during Yule. _Hermione has loved Harry for a long time, even if she couldn't see it till just recently_ , Luna mused, wondering just how her missing friend was doing. Rather than being jealous that three other witches loved her husband, Luna thought it would be great fun to have such a large family with Harry. _I wonder if they'll be like sisters? I've always wanted siblings._

"She loves someone else," Harry was quick to reiterate as if that answered the question making it cut and dry.

"Do you love your father, Harry?" Luna asked, trying to approach the matter from a different direction as Andi distracted Teddy while keeping an ear on their conversation. Harry gave a quick nod. "How about your Mum?"

"Of course," Harry replied, having no clue where this was going.

"What of Sirius?" the bright witch asked, instantly regretting bringing up Harry's godfather as a pained looked crossed the wizard's face only to be quickly hidden away. A long moment passed before Harry finally gave a nod, not trusting his voice to speak at that moment. "So it is possible to love more than one person at a time then?" Luna asked.

"Sure, but they're family," Harry replied rather triumphantly, pointing out the difference.

Behind Harry, Andi chuckled. "He can't help it, dear," she said to Luna. "He's male."

Luna leaned to the side to see around Harry. "Thankfully he has many other enjoyable qualities to offset that fact," the petite witch replied with a grin. "One being that he is _very_ much male," Luna added with an appreciative dreamy smile. Their nights of making love had been great fun with lots of exploration on both their parts.

"I do not need to hear about your ' _enjoyable_ ' nights, young lady," Andi warned with an amused grin. "It's been far too long since I've had one of those and I doubt you'd take kindly to your husband being in my dreams tonight," Andi added as Harry's cheeks took on the hue of a very ripe tomato.

"I'd be more than happy to lend him to you, Andi," Luna deadpanned.

"I'm right here," Harry choked out, feeling that his head would burst into flames at any second.

"You wouldn't mind?" Andi asked, playing along. It was always great fun teasing Harry after all.

"Andi!" Harry exclaimed in disbelief, turning towards the witch, a look of shock on his face at her brazen words.

"He's so cute when he gets all worked up like this," Luna said in a dreamy tone.

"I know, right?" Andi agreed.

"Where's a Dark Lord to fight when you need one?" Harry grumbled under his breath as he realized they were having a go at him.

**-oOo-**

Tracey stepped from the floo and into Westfield Manor, a place she had not believed she would ever see again. _Nothing has changed_ , she realized, uncertain just what she thought would have changed in a week's time. For some odd reason, Tracey had the expectation that with Daphne now married to Harry there would have been something different about the place. _Well, she did only return today I guess_.

The auburn-haired witch set off for her rooms as quickly as her feet would take her without breaking into an all-out run. Behind her, the floo belched forth Harry from the sound of it, but she had only one thing in mind, a hot shower. While there had been a tub in the flat above the shop, it had not been working, and Tracey hadn't known the spells to repair it correctly. Cleaning charms were wonderful things, truly, but she still felt unclean. Only hot water and a large amount of soap would cure that.

Hastening to the stairs, without giving Luna and Teddy so much as a glance, the young witch quickly made her way to her rooms. Once through the door, and with it closed and locked behind her, Tracey began to disrobe as she made her was across the sitting room and to her bedroom, leaving a trail of clothes in her wake. "Thank you, Winky," Tracey said upon reaching her destination and seeing the tub already partially full and the water running.

The now nude witch reached in and turned on the shower, glad that the tub was a separate area. The next twenty minutes were spent scouring every inch of her body as well as washing her hair twice over, as once just wasn't enough. Once clean, and with pink tinged skin from all the scrubbing, Tracey stepped from the shower and climbed into the tub. The rich floral scent of the water was almost intoxicating as she submerged herself. _Daphne can keep her roses_ , Tracey mused, _I much more prefer lavender_.

"Bloody hell, how did things become like this?" Tracey asked aloud as she lay back in the tub with her eyes closed, having spent the last several minutes thinking over the events of the last few months. _Daphne is married to Harry_ , the thought bounced around in the young woman's head causing all kinds of discord. _If it is true, what Harry said, and Daphne's father did arrange their marriage, then I doubt there will be a way out of it_. Tracey had been with Daphne long enough to know just how her father was when it came to securing business deals.

"Why did it have to be Daphne?" Tracey whined. "It's so not fair! It should have been me!" It was only a few minutes more of fuming at the unfairness of it all before the witch could take it no longer and left the tub, slipping a thick warm bathrobe around herself after toweling off. Making her way to her bedroom, Tracey had just opened her wardrobe to decide what to wear when she heard a knock at her door. Not wishing to be disturbed she ignored it.

It was with no small amount of surprise then when she heard her outer door open and close. Hastily pulling her wand from her pocket the witch headed into the sitting room only to draw up short upon seeing who was there. "How did you…?" Tracey started only to have her words trail off.

"Oh please, Tracey. I've been able to open your locking charms almost since you learned how to cast one," Daphne replied as she slipped her wand back into her sleeve. The two women stood there and eyed each other for a long moment. "Are you alright?" Daphne asked in a concerned tone, finally breaking the lengthening silence.

"Well enough," Tracey answered in a disgruntled tone, crossing her arms under her breasts and turning slightly away. "As if you'd care, Missus Black."

Daphne inwardly flinched at the title Tracey used as well as at her tone of voice. _She's going to be stubborn about this I see_. The two witches had grown up together and were very astute at reading each other's moods and emotions. At least when they took the time to do so.

"Yes, I am now Missus Black, but not by choice," Daphne replied, deciding there was no point in denying it. "This is all some grand plan of my father's to get his hands on the Black Family Gold so he can expand the Greengrass business and influence. If I know my father, then I seriously doubt he has left any means by which this marriage can be dissolved."

"Isn't this what you had planned all along," Tracey accused the other girl. "It's just like I initially thought. You planted yourself there on that street so Potter would find you. Maybe you didn't consciously plan it, but I'm sure the Slytherin in you saw it as an option," the angry witch threw in Daphne's face.

Tracey's word made a warped sort of sense and brought the blonde witch up short. _Did I?_ she had to ask herself. Thinking back, she tried to recall exactly what her thoughts had been at the time. _Father had told me that he had finally arranged a marriage for me and it would be taking place the week between Yule and New Years_. Daphne struggled to remember that day several months back, which suddenly seemed like a lifetime ago, given all that had happened since.

_I didn't want to marry whoever it was that father had arranged for me_ , she recalled. At the time Daphne hadn't even bothered to ask just who the arrangement was with. _I still don't know_ , a small part of her mind pointed out. _I wonder how father got out of that to wed me to Harry?_ Try as she might all she could really recall of that time was wanting to find someplace safe where her father couldn't touch her. Harry had seemed like the perfect place.

_That certainly didn't work out the way I had planned_ , Daphne told herself, as she was now married to Harry. "You're wrong, Tracey. I never meant to be married to Harry. All I wanted was someplace where father couldn't reach me. Harry seemed the logical choice, for all the good that it did me," she added with a depreciating smirk at her own foolishness. _Father was still able to get to me, just in a different manner._

"Truly?" Tracey asked with a skeptical look as Daphne nodded. "Then why did you keep it from Potter? Why not tell him right away what you were doing?"

"What, and risk Harry sending me away or even worse, taking me back home?" Daphne fired back, pleading her case. "If he had done that, then father would have taken measures to ensure that I couldn't escape again, and you can bet it wouldn't have been something as simple as taking my wand! I had one chance to get away from father's reach, and I took it!" Daphne's gaze dropped to the floor, her voice turning softer. "Besides, he knew all along."

"Who knew?" Tracey inquired, a bit confused.

"Harry," Daphne answered, a small smile brushing her lips. "He told me he might not be a Ravenclaw, but even Harry knew that the chances of me being there just as he came up those stairs were too small to think it was anything other than planned. He's smarter than he looks," said Daphne.

"If he knew all along then why didn't he say something?" Tracey asked in disbelief. To the Slytherin witch it made no sense why the wizard would just play along if he knew that Daphne was deceiving him. _Maybe he just wanted to determine what her game was_ ," Tracey mused to herself.

"I asked him that as well," Daphne continued with. "He said that he figured if it were important I would tell him. When I was ready to and in my own sweet time. He's such a Gryffindor!" Daphne added with an amused shake of her head at the man's foolishness.

"He's too bloody trusting. That's what he is," Tracey growled as she stared at the floor as well and digested this latest news. Recalling something Harry had told her at the Leaky Caldron she decided to see if it was true. "Harry said you thought your father was going to have him killed. Do you think he would really do that?" As much as she was hurting inside the last thing she wanted was for any harm to come to Daphne or Harry.

Daphne sighed heavily and wearily made her way over to the settee in the room and dropped down onto one side of it, feeling a bit drained. "I've thought it over any number of times, and I can't see any other way in which father would be able to get his hands on Harry's gold. He can't possibly think Harry is just going to hand it over after forcing the two of us into a marriage."

Tracey walked over and took a seat beside Daphne, her brow creased in thought. "If Harry were to die before you reached your maturity then your father, as Head of House, could petition for guardianship of you regardless of you being a widow of the Black family," Tracey reasoned aloud. _If anything were to happen to Harry, Daphne would take it hard_. Tracey knew the witch beside her didn't give her love easily but when Daphne did it was all or nothing.

"Father has enough influence in the Wizengamot and the Ministry to see his request for guardianship pushed through," Daphne added. "As soon as he has that he could pull all the gold from the Black vaults and move it to the Greengrass one. The Blacks are old money so that would probably make him one of the wealthiest wizards in Europe," Daphne added in a worried tone.

"What would happen to the Lupin Home?" Tracey gasped. The young woman had been rather impressed with what Harry was doing there. Tracey had never realized that there had been so many people displaced due to the war. It was easy to see only what was around you and forget that there was a wider world out there with others who were impacted as well.

_Not that my family was impacted all that much_ , Tracey scoffed silently. Her mother, wanting them to appear as dutiful pure-bloods, had contributed to Voldemort's cause. The Davis family members were not allowed to fight though, which suited her mother just fine. The fact that they were only half-bloods didn't keep the madman from accepting their gold. It was a secret Tracey prayed no one ever discovered.

"I don't know," Daphne admitted sadly. She too had been surprised and impressed with what Harry was trying to accomplish at the Lupin Home. _If I am his wife now then I should support him in his efforts_ , she reasoned. Her own mother had supported her father in all his endeavors, which was the only frame of reference Daphne had for being a wife. "I don't know how everything there is paid for. I would hate to see the home closed down."

"Would your father do that?" Tracey asked only to see Daphne give her a look as if to say ' _this is my father were speaking of_.' The young women sat in silence for several long moments, each lost in their own thoughts. _So everything that Harry told me is true._ As much as she would like not to believe Daphne, Tracey had known her for far too long not to realize when Daphne was telling the truth. _What the hell am I supposed to do now?_ "It's so not fair," Tracey mumbled more to herself than to the woman seated next to her.

"Tracey-," Daphne started, having heard the witch's comment, only to be cut off by the woman next to her.

"It's not fair. Not at all!" Tracey reiterated, but in a stronger tone as her frustration at the entire situation bled forth into her words. "We've known each other for almost our entire lives. I love you, Daphne. You know I do, but now that you're married to Harry what am I to do?" Tracey asked.

"You're his wife. Missus Black! Mistress to a Noble and Most Ancient House, known far and wide for its pure-blood dogma" Tracey rolled on before Daphne could even say anything. "Your duty is to your husband and your family. You need to provide Harry with an heir. I'm sure there will be all sorts of demands for your time. Not that having a baby and a husband won't consume a great deal of that," Tracey rambled on like a racehorse with the bit firmly held in its teeth.

"I'm not a part of your family, not really. Sure we've grown up together, but that doesn't make us family," the emotional witch bespoke, as tears began to trickle down her cheeks. "Where in all of this," Tracey said with a grand gesture to indicate everything around them, "will you find time for us? You'll have Harry and the baby to love. What need have you of me?"

Daphne sat, too stunned to even speak. _She can't possibly think that I wouldn't have time for her?_ Daphne wasn't sure exactly what being Lady Black would entail, but she was certain that she would always have time for Tracey. Suddenly it was as if the clouds parted and the sun shone through. _She's afraid now that I have Harry and will have a baby at some point that I won't need her. That I won't love her anymore._

"Oh you silly girl," Daphne said in a tone that was both amused as well as exasperated. Feeling actions would speak louder than words, the blonde witch reached out and laying a hand on either side of Tracey's head she forced the woman to look her in the eye. "Tracey, I love you. Truly I do. No marriage or amount of babies will ever change that fact! If anything I need you now more than ever!" Leaning in while pulling Tracey's head towards her, Daphne captured the witch's lips with her own in a searing kiss.

Tracey, shocked by Daphne's bold actions, sat frozen for a long moment as her lips were kissed. The soft, moist touch of Daphne's tongue across her own lips sparked a burning desire within the older girl. Tracey lost little time in opening her mouth and welcoming Daphne's advances. Their tongues twisted and entwine in a dance as old as time itself.

Daphne gave a soft moan of approval as Tracey's hands began to touch her, caressing and exploring her body. _It's been far too long_ , Daphne's fevered brain told her as Tracey deepened the kiss as if trying to devour her lips in one go. Feeling the older girl tugging at her dress Daphne used her hands to help disrobe herself. Wizarding clothes were notoriously hard to get off in a hurry.

Tracey felt a chill traverse her spine as Daphne tugged her robe open. The pleasurable feeling of Daphne's hands upon her person made the witch moan in bliss. A fire flared to life within the witch's nether regions, one that was needful and demanding. Tracey grasped Daphne's hand and forcibly moved it to her breast so that the blonde witch would fondle her.

A small chuckle escaped Daphne, as Tracey was always the demanding one in their lovemaking. _Not that I'm complaining_ , she quickly clarified as her finger and thumb teased the other witch. The need for air finally forced their lips apart. "I need you," gasped Daphne as she strove to inhale the much-needed air into her lungs. Opening her eyes, she could see the same need and desire reflected in the face before her.

Their lovemaking was neither slow nor rough. However, there was a decidedly driven quality to it. Both women took and gave in equal measure, wanting to please the other was well as be pleased in return. So it had always been throughout their relationship for many years now. The two lovers finally spent, lay cuddled in the bedding of their own clothes with Tracey's head cradled in the crook of Daphne's shoulder.

"Why couldn't I have been born a guy," Tracey voiced once she had caught her breath. Tracey lay there in the blissful afterglow of their lovemaking, looking across the swell of Daphne's breast and marveling at the sheen of sweat on her skin and how it made Daphne seem to sparkle in the light. _Damn but she is beautiful_!

"I may not have liked you nearly as much if you had been," Daphne replied with a soft smile. "I much more prefer your soft curves and the girlish noises that you make," she teased, causing the other witch to blush. "Had you been a boy I doubt very much that father would have allowed us to spend so much time together unsupervised. Wouldn't that have been a shame."

The two young girls had reach puberty at roughly the same time. Already closer than most siblings, the two shared their curiosity about their changing bodies and emerging sexuality. Tracey, devoid of a loving mother to ask questions of and already spending most her time at the Greengrasses, trusted Daphne more than anyone else alive.

Daphne, knowing there was no one else for Tracey and desiring to be there for her best friend had always kept a close eye on her. It was only natural that the two would eventually experiment with each other. Their first kisses had been with each other, and things had naturally progressed from there. Girls were soft and smelled nice. They didn't tease you and make you cry like boys did.

In their fourth year, they finally noticed that some boys were nicer than others. They discussed how they felt and promised that even if they did like a boy, they would continue to love each other regardless. The wizarding world did not look favorably upon witches that flew on both sides of the broomstick, nor wizards who played with other wands, so they kept their love for each other secret.

Then fifth-year had come along and the incident with Goyle. It had taken forever for Daphne to pull the story from Tracey of just what had happened. It pained the younger witch to see her best friend in such a state. Tracey had always been rather shy and withdrawn, even before Goyle's attempted rape. Afterward, she was even worse. Daphne couldn't even leave her sight without Tracey freaking out at the time.

They had talked, but no amount of words would convince the Tracey of then that if Daphne left she would come back. The distraught witch was certain that Daphne would leave her all alone now that she had been soiled. In frustration, as well as wanting to reassure Tracey, Daphne swore on her magic that she would never leave Tracey.

At the time neither had really thought much of it, however, in their sixth year, Daphne's father began discussing marriage contracts. Gerald confessed to already having had several offers for Daphne's hand, none which he felt were worthy of the Greengrass name thankfully. It was then that they realized that Daphne could very possibly be taken away and separated from Tracey, costing the blonde girl the very thing that made her a witch. Her magic.

"You really are a silly girl," Daphne reiterated as one hand caressed the small of Tracey's bareback, drawing lazy circles. "I told you before that I would never leave you. I'm certain I can work something out with Harry. I just need to find the right time and way to approach it with him."

"I know," Tracey said in a pouty voice as she snuggled in closer to Daphne's side. "I just get so scared sometimes," she confessed. Always the more emotional of the twain, the older witch sometimes allowed her emotions to get the better of her, confusing what was happening with what could happen. "It's that stupid oath you swore. I don't want you to lose your magic on my account, Daphne."

Both knew it was much more than the oath. Tracey was fearful of losing what she saw as the only good thing in her life. The two lay for several long minutes cocooned within their shed garments and the warmth of their bodies. "You love him too," Daphne stated, rather than asked.

"I do not!" Tracey was quick to deny. Too fast perhaps. "I only love you!" she huffed.

"I've known you almost my entire life, Tracey. You're absolutely pants at lying to me," Daphne replied with a growing grin. "Be honest with yourself for once and seriously think about it. You're in love with Harry Potter."

"No way!" Tracey stated. "He's all yours, Daph."

"So, then it wouldn't bother you if father did manage to kill Harry?" Daphne asked in a deceptively casual tone of voice only to feel the witch in her embrace stiffen upon hearing her words.

_Kill Harry? Let the bastard try!_ Tracey thought, shocked at her own venomous thoughts. Equally surprising was the sudden surge of desire to protect the wizard in question. Tracey had only ever felt that sort of protective feeling for one other person before in her entire life, and she was laying there right beside her currently. "Maybe…a little bit," Tracey grumbled, not wanting to admit it.

"Thank you," Daphne said, giving the woman beside her a kiss on the top of her head for being honest.

"It doesn't matter," Tracey said. "You're married to Harry now, so that makes him yours," she pointed out.

"I might be willing to share him," the adventurous witch divulged, "if it was with you I mean," Daphne hastily added. The three of them together had already been the topic of more than one dream since moving into Westfield, though she had as yet to tell Tracey of this. _For all that she likes being with me, Tracey can be a bit prudish at times_. It was a contradiction Daphne had yet been able to figure out.

"Really?" Tracey asked in disbelief. "You'd do that?"

"It would be far harder sharing you with Harry," Daphne confessed. "I am a little bit jealous at times you know," Daphne understated. "But if that is what it takes to keep you with me then I am willing to do so."

"How do you know Harry will even agree to it?" Tracey enquired, running the idea over in her head and finding it somewhat appealing. _Not that I'm ready to go jump into Harry's bed anytime soon_ , she hastily told herself.

"He is a male, isn't he?" Daphne said with a chuckle. "What man doesn't want to be with two different witches?" she asked with a smirk, confident that Harry agreeing to the proposed arrangement wouldn't be an issue.

"Morgana! Show some decency and close the bloody door at least!" Astoria's irate voice scolded them from the doorway. This was not the first time the younger witch had walked in on the two lovers. Daphne had told her sister that first time that she only had herself to blame, having barged in without so much as a by your leave. "Have you no shame?" Astoria exclaimed.

"The door was closed," Daphne replied, not bothering to cover herself or Tracey. Astoria had walked in on then so many times that none of them even batted an eye at it anymore. Astoria, for her part, accepted their relationship without reservation. Something Daphne was ever so thankful for.

"It was wide open when I got here," Astoria corrected.

"Why are you here?" Tracey asked, regarding the younger witch over the top of Daphne's bared breasts. _Damn but if that isn't a distracting view! Bloody hell! Now I sound like some lecherous old guy! Worse yet, like Zambini!_

"Harry Potter came and told me it was time for dinner and asked that I come and tell the two of you," Astoria replied. "I suggest you both get dressed and head downstairs so as not to keep the others waiting as that would just be rude. Especially considering what you've both been up to," the young witch added with a cheeky grin before turning and leaving to head downstairs.

Daphne hastily ran to her room, which she was now sharing with her sister, while Tracey disappeared into her own bedroom and put on some of the muggle clothing she had been missing. It was only a few minutes before both witches hastened down the stairs and to the dining room where they found everyone but Harry waiting for them.

Daphne took her usual seat to the right of Harry's chair while Astoria slipped into the seat across from her sister that was usually used by the absent Hermione. "Sorry we're late," Tracey mumbled as she took the seat next to Daphne, only then realizing that Harry wasn't present.

"I'm glad to see you ladies are well," Andi offered from her place opposite Harry's. "I hear from your sister that you'll be staying once again," the elder witch said with a glance towards Astoria, giving a slight nod towards the younger witch. "It's always nice to have a house full of people."

"Yes," Luna chimed in, "it has been rather quiet here what with you both gone, Hermione back at Hogwarts and Mary off visiting her relatives," she explained before turning aside to playing with a rather fidgeting Teddy. As the five witches were sitting there, the food suddenly appeared on the table.

"Isn't Mister Potter joining us?" Astoria asked upon not seeing their host. The other four witches exchanged worried looks. Never before had the food appeared upon the table for the dinner meal without Harry being present. The young wizard made it a point to be home for the evening meal as he loved to spend time with his family, as he had put it once. Before anyone could answer Astoria's question, they heard the floo flare to life.

"Harry!" called Hermione's voice from near the fireplace. "Harry!" the young witch yelled once again only to see them seated at the table, so she hastened to join them carrying a rather large tome in her arms. "I figured it out! I know how he did it!" Hermione exclaimed rather breathlessly as if she had run the entire way there. The bushy haired witch looked about the table, noting that the seat at the head of the table was suspiciously empty. "Where's Harry?" Hermione asked, echoing the questions that were on everyone's mind at that moment.

**-oOo-**

Harry cracked open one eye and regarded the only door to the room as the handle jiggled and then turned. A bright shaft of light invaded the room as the person on the other side of the door stuck their head in. "You heading to bed?" Harry asked in a hushed tone.

"I should have gone some time ago," Susan replied with a nod of her head while keeping her voice low. "Just wanted to check and see if there was anything you had needed before I left."

"I think we're good," Harry answered with a small thankful smile before his eyes dropped to the small bundle currently cradled in his lap. "She just finally fell back to sleep." The young wizard bent down and kissed the crown of the child's head lovingly. "Looks like I'll be spending the night."

Susan smiled in understanding before her gaze dropped to Anna. The young girl had awoken from a nap screaming and hysterical from night terrors. Sadly this was not the first time for it to happen and Susan and the others doubted it would be the last. Before Susan or anyone else knew it the small child had locked herself in her room. Susan had sent Lolly, one of the Black House Elves, to fetch Harry as no one else could open the door and she didn't want to send in a house elf for fear it might further frighten the child.

Harry had tried to talk the frightened girl out of the room at first. However, when that hadn't worked, he had exercised his rights as owner of the property and forced the door to unlock. The wizard had found Anna tucked into the darkest corner of the room's wardrobe. Upon seeing Harry, Anna had launched herself into his arms and had refused to let go of him since. It was another hour before the small girl stopped shaking in his embrace.

"Thanks, Sue," Harry said, looking up. The former Hufflepuff gave a nod and then slipped out, closing the door softly behind her and dropping the room into darkness once more. Harry shifted into a more comfortable position, planning to stay the night. Once comfortable, and confident that Anna still slumbered, the wizard allowed his thoughts to return to where they had been before the interruption. _So, Daphne and Tracey_ , he mused, uncertain just what to make of that.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well, work actually let me have a weekend off and what did I do, wrote this chapter for all of you and rather than wait to post it, I thought I'd be nice and get it out early. I hope you enjoy it. Lots of secrets going around. Harry, Luna, and Andi know about Harry's marriage to Luna. Tracey's family secret. Then there is Daphne and Tracey's relationship which some of you pegged early on, though I hope I threw up enough of a smoke screen to surprise a couple of you. We also have the secret Daphne and Astoria have concerning Tori's marriage to Draco. Next chapter, Hermione's big reveal!
> 
> As always, your reviews are not required, but they are greatly appreciated.
> 
> Kind Regards,
> 
> EJ Daniels
> 
> All characters within this story, unless otherwise stated are the sole property of J. K. Rowling the original writer of the Harry Potter series.


	22. A Black Family Secret

**Chapter 22 – A Black Family Secret  
. . .**

"Kreacher," Daphne called the Black family elf to them.

"Mistress calls Kreacher," the old elf answered after appearing with the usual small pop of displaced air.

"Yes," Daphne confirmed. "Can you please ask Harry to join us?"

"Kreacher lives to serve the noble House of Black," the old elf replied, "but the young Master has asked not to be disturbed till he returns home."

"Harry's not even home?" Tracey asked in disbelief as the others wondered what could have pulled the wizard away.

"Thank you, Kreacher," Daphne said to the elf. "It would appear that it's just us, ladies. So what have you found?" she enquired, looking towards Hermione expectantly. _Something important must have occurred for Harry to have run off right when Tracey and I have returned_ , Daphne mused.

"That looks rather old," Astoria commented, reaching out towards the book Hermione was holding. The younger Greengrass, daughter, loved to read and found old tomes such as the one Hermione had to be fascinating.

Hermione clutched the book tightly to her chest and turned away enough so that the unknown girl couldn't touch it. "Sorry," she said, offering a small apologetic smile. "Headmistress McGonagall entrusted me with this book. It was the only way she would allow me to remove it from Hogwarts. She said should anything happen to it she would take payment with a pound of my flesh. That is before turning me over to Madam Pince."

Anyone who had ever attended Hogwarts in recent history well knew Madam Pince's reverence for the books in her care. They also knew how protective the librarian of Hogwarts was of said books and the dire punishments she handed out to anyone she caught abusing them. Astoria quickly withdrew her hand, a small shiver of fear traversing her spine at the mention of the librarian, having had a run-in with the witch her first year at Hogwarts.

Daphne cleared Harry's place at the table so that Hermione could set the massive tome down. The muggle-born witch offered an appreciative smile as she slipped into Harry's empty seat, placing the book before her on the table and resting her hands on the top of it. The others stared at the young woman, the meal all but forgotten. "Where to start," Hermione mused aloud, more to herself than to the others.

"I've found it's usually best to start at the beginning," Andi offered helpfully from the other end of the table. "So you have been at Hogwarts all this time?"

"Yes. I figured that Harry would need to know what was done to him," Hermione explained. "I've always been the one to do the research when something terrible happens to Harry. Not that being married to you is bad," Hermione quickly clarified with an apologetic look towards Daphne. _At least not bad for you_ , Hermione couldn't help but think before turning to look back towards Andi.

"Hogwarts has one of the largest libraries in Europe," the witch continued, hastily licking her suddenly dry lips. "My parents showed up on Christmas day. A gift from Harry," Hermione clarified with a soft loving smile at the recollection of that surprise. "They've since been assisting me with my research," she added, schooling her features once more so the others wouldn't see. _A bit too late for the I suppose_ , she thought, noticing a knowing look on Luna's face as well as Andi's unless she was mistaken.

"It was my father who actually found the reference in a history book of all places. I think he was just tired of reading the law books and had picked it up for a bit of light reading. I shouldn't be surprised as he's always been the reader of the family. Honestly, I think that is where I get it from," Hermione rambled on only to pause as she saw the anxious looks on the faces arrayed before her. "Right then," she stated, clearing her throat before getting to the heart of the matter.

"How much do you know about our history?" Hermione asked only to see blank stares. "I mean muggle history," she clarified. Seeing the continued blank stares, the young woman growled to herself in disbelief. _How can they just so glibly ignore that there is an entire group of other people out there that they share a common history with?_ Yet again she lamented the fact that there were no muggle history classes offered at Hogwarts.

"Fine." Hermione declared, exasperated both at their lack of knowledge as well as the lack of courses. _Maybe I can suggest to Harry that there be such a class at the Lupin Home when he starts that school there._ "In the mid-1300's there was an illness that swept through Europe. While the numbers are rather different depending who you talk to, it is believed that somewhere between 75 and 200 million people died because of it. That would account for 30-60 percent of the European population back then."

"At the time it was believed that the entire world's population was only a mere 450 million people so you can see what a huge impact this illness had in the world. Entire towns and cities were wiped out as the disease spread," Hermione told them in her best lecture mode. "It is estimated that the world population didn't return to their pre-illness levels till sometime in the late 1700's."

Around the table, Hermione could see all their faces with looks of shock at the appalling loss of life the illness had caused. At the other end of the table, Andi's face had drained of all color, her hand frozen part way to her mouth holding her teacup, apparently forgotten. _Being a healer she must understand it better than the others_ , Hermione thought. "This pandemic or Black Plague as it was called-," Hermione started with only to stop as Andi's cup dropped and clattered rather loudly against the plate before the stunned witch.

"The Black Death," Andi breathed out softly, her hand shaking and eyes wide in disbelief. "You mean the Black Death," the shocked witch said in a louder tone, unmindful of the spilled tea that was soaking into the table cloth.

"Y…yes, it was called that as well," Hermione replied hesitantly. Around the table, the others all wore concerned looks as they regard the witch at the end of the table.

"I had no idea," Andi commented absently as her eyes dropped vacantly to stare at the table top before her. "They never told us," she mumbled to herself.

Luna, being the closest to Andi, reached out and laid a gentle hand upon the witch's arm to gather her attention. "Are you alright, Andi?" Between the two witches, sensing that something was amiss, Teddy began to fuss and whimper.

"I didn't know!" Andi exclaimed, her head snapping up towards Luna. "They never told us!" she said with pleading eyes.

"It's alright, Andi," Luna said reassuringly. "I'm certain it wasn't your fault," the younger witch assured Andi before turning to pull Teddy from his chair and settle him in her lap.

"No. No, of course not," Andi absently answered, her face turning pensive. "I should have been able to put the pieces together. Why didn't I see it?"

"See what?" Hermione braved to ask from the other end of the table.

"It's a timeworn story," Andi said, looking up as if only just then realizing that there were others there. "It is more than just a bit of Black family dirty laundry. It would account for a significant number of skeletons in our closet, especially if your numbers are to be believed."

Andi drew her wand and hastily vanished the spilled tea. "It is a Black family matter, and I can only divulge it to members of the Black family or to those sworn not to tell others who are not of the House of Black," Andi explained. As much as she did not want to go into the details of what had happened, the older witch felt that the women had a right to know. _If they are going to be a part of Harry's life, then they have a right to know, just as he does_.

All eyes turned to look expectantly at Hermione. "What?" the witch asked in a nervous tone.

"We're all related to the Black family, except for you and Luna," Daphne clarified. "Almost all of the pure-blood families are related in some manner."

"As is Luna," Andi said, not bothering to clarify just how the petite witch was related. _Being married to Harry makes her related, even if her last name is Lovegood_. Hermione took out her wand and quickly swore upon her magic not to tell another soul unless they were related to the Black family. Now that the requirements had been satisfied Andi could start her tale.

"What I am about to tell you is what was passed down to me and my sisters by our father, who received it from his father and so on," Andi informed them all. "In the first part of the 1300's, one Romulus Black, the current head of the Black family, was traveling through northern France near Valenciennes where he happened upon a young woman. She was Philippa of Hainault, the only daughter of William I, the then Count of Hainault."

"The two fell in love almost at first sight," Andi continued. "Romulus, traveling as a young, wealthy merchant at the time, asked the Count for her hand and was denied. Romulus was furious and was certain that Philippa's father had only turned him down due to his being an Englishman."

"The English and French have a long history of hating each other," Hermione offered.

Andi acknowledged the well learned witch's comment with a slight nod of her head before continuing. "My forbear would not take no for an answer and made several more requests, offering larger and grander bride prices each time only to be denied. Eventually, Romulus, along with all the English nobility, was called home to Court. Edward III, the King of England, was in the process of rebuilding England's forces after the disastrous rule of his father."

"Romulus was a close advisor to Edward and beseeched the King to intercede on his behalf. I'm sure he felt that no mere Count would say no to a King, be he English or otherwise," Andi told them. "Things, however, did not go as planned. There was war with Scotland, and the French were raiding along the English coastal towns. While on the continent to defend English territory Edward had the opportunity to meet Philippa whom he had heard so much about from Romulus."

"That is not what historians wrote," Hermione was quick to point out. "Edward and Philippa were betrothed at a young age before Edward became king."

"I realize that this all flies in the face of what history says happened," Andi admitted, "however bear in mind that history is often written by the victor and not the defeated. Edward was said to be smitten and married Philippa shortly after that. Hearing of the marriage, Romulus hurried to the cathedral with the intent to stop the wedding, only to be barred entry by order of the King."

"Only after the ceremony had been concluded, and the marriage had been consummated properly, did Edward allow Romulus to see Philippa. There, before a small gathering of lords and ladies, the Queen of England rebuffed his affections," Andi stated. "There wasn't much else she could do I would think. She was the Queen of England by that point, and it would bring dishonor to the entire country were she to admit to her love for Romulus."

"For several years Romulus remained a broken man," Andi continued her tale. "until one day he just up and disappeared. The rest of the Black family searched for him to no avail. They knew he was alive as the Head of House did not transfer to the next in line, and large quantities of gold periodically were withdrawn from the Black family vaults. It was several years before he returned home."

"Romulus had been in the far east researching with potions and the magic of that region. The man, driven nearly mad from betrayal and a broken heart had done the unthinkable. It was rumored that Edward himself was a wizard. There had long been magicals in the royal lines, it's the only reason our world still sees the Queen as the ultimate authority in the country," Andi explained. "Romulus had crafted a potion that he believed would kill Edward and Philippa. A liquid form of a curse."

"Returning home so that he could be there when the royal couple perished, Romulus bragged to family members about how he had commissioned a beautiful silk dress for the Queen of England. Dousing the dress in the potion he created, he had sent it over the silk road, across Europe, to England. The fool didn't realize what he had done at the time," Andi stated sadly.

"The potion did not stay just on the dress but rather seeped from it and infected any magical that came into contact with it," the witch said. "Magicals, even back then were prone to travel abroad a great deal, all of which only aided in the spreading of this foulest of curses. Fully three-quarters of the world's magical population perished in less than a year's time. It was only a few years later that there were reports of what was later called the Black Plague coming out of the far east and Asia areas of the world."

"But it wasn't intended for muggles," Hermione said.

"No it wasn't," Andi confirmed as the others sat in stunned silence. "It was targeted at magicals. It attacked their magic and then ate them from the outside in leaving a black discoloration of their skin. People took to calling it the Black Death due to that, with only our family knowing just how apt the name truly was."

"Regular people died in a similar manner," Hermione offered. "But how could a magical curse designed for people with magical energy effect non-magicals who have none?"

"If I had to hazard a guess, squibs," Andi speculated. "While they are magical they are also as close to muggle as one can get."

"It mutated!" exclaimed the excited witch in Harry's seat. "Pathogens and viruses often mutate, becoming something different than they originally were. Romulus' curse must have altered and adapted to the squibs, and from there it was only a matter of time before it would infect the non-magicals!" Hermione exclaimed.

"My thoughts as well," Andi replied, impressed with the young woman's reasoning. "In the end, neither Edward nor Philippa contracted the illness, so it was all for naught."

"What did Romulus do then?" Tracey asked almost fearfully. It was stunning to think that one man's jealousy and desire for revenge could account for such an incredible loss of life.

"Nothing," Andi said with a finality that told them that the man's future did not bode well for him. "Learning of what Romulus had done, his cousin Radolff Black murdered him and became the next Head of House for the Black family. The damage had already been done though by that time, and all they could do was to ensure that no one ever discovered what had happened. The entire family and their descendants were sworn to secrecy."

"While I would be the first one to say I enjoy a good history lesson as much as the next person, I fail to see just how this ties in with Sissy being married to Harry Potter," Astoria voiced.

"I think I can explain that now," Hermione offered. "It actually makes a bit more sense now after what Andi has told us. From 1346 to roughly 1353 the Black Plague ravaged Europe and Asia, reaching all the way up and into Russia. Entire settlements and towns were wiped out and burnt to the ground to try and prevent its spread."

"The small farming communities, those furthest from densely populated areas were the least affected at the time. They were mostly self-reliant and had little contact with the outside world," Hermione explained. "This made it rather difficult for the illness to reach them. In these small, tight-knit communities, everyone worked together and contributed equally. It was the only way they could survive."

"Now, after the plague had run its course there was a shortage of people. Andi said that the curse accounted for three-quarters of the magical population," Hermione reminded them before continuing. "Families that had survived the plague, looking to marry their daughters off, were forced to approach these isolated communities."

"For their part, these small communities comprised mostly of farmers and small tradesmen like blacksmiths and leatherworkers, who were rightfully fearful of the outside world. Additionally, they did not want to take in anyone who would not pull their own weight. If the community had to support itself, then they didn't want to have to feed someone who contributed nothing in return."

The Head Girl of Hogwarts opened the massive tome before her and turned the pages till she found the one she was looking for. "The intend'd shalt traveleth to whence those gents cameth bringing with those folk not pestilence n'r beshrew n'r aught oth'r than the robes upon their backeth. Thou shalt liveth in thy husband's lodging of residence and w'rk the landeth as that gent doth seeth fiteth f'r a p'riod of nay less than three synodic phases. If 't be true hath found the mistress w'rthy that gent may purchaseth all yond is of value from h'r family, presenting the intend'd h'r wand to his jointress to completeth the agreement hon'rably."

"But what does all that mean?" Tracey was quick to ask.

"It says that the intended bride must travel to the intended husband's home. Once there she must work as he instructs her to do," Hermione explained. "She has to remain there, bringing nothing with her other than the clothes on her back."

"They probably feared the spreading of the plague," Andi thought aloud. "By limiting what was brought into the settlement, I would guess they believed it protect themselves as best they could."

"A synodic phase would be a lunar cycle," Daphne contributed, being well versed in the old rituals. "Roughly three months. I've been here at Westfield just a bit more than that now."

"What does the last part mean," Astoria enquired. Listening to the Old English phrasing was enough to give her a headache. _I can't believe they actually talked like that back then_.

"If the groom found the bride worthy then he purchased her wand from the bride's family and presented it to the bride," Luna chimed in with. "Upon doing so, it concluded the deal and the couple was officially married."

"The wand was all that was considered of value in those days," Hermione clarified with an angry edge to her tone at the inequality of it all. "Basically the groom purchased his wife."

"The cost of the wand replaced what would have been the bride price," Andi voiced thoughtfully. "If the population were so small then good wives would be a sought after item I would think."

"Wait, there is more," Hermione told them before looking down at the book before her and reading once more. "Shouldst the jointress beest unfit 'r unable to beareth offspring within the turning of the seasons then the husband needeth but breaketh h'r wand to dissolve the agreement and sendeth h'r backeth to h'r family f'rev'r sham'd and suitable only f'r the s'rvitude to the church."

Hermione looked up and directly at Daphne. "Should you be unable to bear a child, Harry can break your wand, ending your marriage and send you back to your family. It says you have until the turning of the seasons. I would take that to mean a year."

The blonde witch paled. _Harry would never break my wand_ , Daphne told herself, though she couldn't quite quell the small voice in the back of her head that asked ' _what if he did_.' "A year. That should be plenty of time to get to know Harry I guess," she said with a nervous tremor in her voice. "It's not unreasonable to think that I might become pregnant in that time," Daphne added, fighting to keep the hysteria she was feeling from echoing in her words.

"Actually," Hermione said hesitantly, "you need to give birth within that first year. With nine months of gestation generally, that leaves you three months to get pregnant," she clarified to utter silence as Daphne fainted dead away into Tracey's lap.

**-oOo-**

Daniel Wright stood and made certain his robes were in order before he stepped out of the waiting area of the office he shared with his partners. "Good Morning Miss-," he started to say to the witch waiting there for him only to come up short at the glare she leveled in his direction. "Greengrass," he finished with only a slight stumble.

"I think it would be best if you refrain from calling me Missus Black for the time being," Daphne growled once they were safely behind the silenced door of Daniel's office. The past several days had been rather awkward ones at Westfield and had left the young witch in a decidedly foul mood. The thought that she could be a mother in less than a year left her terrified and a little excited, but mostly terrified.

Harry had returned the following morning and informed them all of where he had been and why he had been there. The wizard was a bit upset that he had missed Hermione who had returned to Hogwarts with the borrowed book. The bushy haired witch had said she had to be back to get everything ready for the students returning in a couple of days.

Learning of what Hermione had uncovered, Harry had looked very thoughtful for a long moment before suggesting that Daphne take it to his solicitor to see what Mister Wright could make of it. The blonde witch had left out the part about bearing Harry's child in a year's time. _We can discuss that only IF we have to,_ she told herself, hoping there would be a way out of it. Since then Daphne had only seen Harry at the morning and evening meals. _It's almost as if he is avoiding me._

_Tracey was none too happy about the baby news either_ , Daphne recalled. The only thing that prevented the auburn-haired witch from being furious was the fact that they had a plan for cajoling Harry into allowing them to remain together. If all worked as they hoped then Harry would be with the both of them which was something Tracey found more acceptable as time went by.

Andi had taken the entire thing rather pragmatically, seeing it as a done deal. _Best to make the best of it_ , Daphne recalled the elder witch suggesting. _At least with Andi there I know I don't have to worry about any medical issues_ , she reasoned. _Morgana! I can't believe I'm actually contemplating having a baby! I'm way too young for this!_ Being raised in the pure-blood traditions, none of the young woman's turmoil that was smoldering inside her showed upon her face as she regarded the wizard with her.

"Now, Mister Potter's letter said there were a number of things you wished to discuss," Daniel Wright opened with as he made his way back to his seat behind the desk once Daphne was seated. "So how may I help you, Lady Black?"

Daphne flinched at the use of the title but schooled her features and answered. "A friend of ours believes that she has discovered just how Harry and I were wed," she said as she slipped a piece of parchment from her handbag and set it on the desktop. "I'd like for you to look this over and give me your thoughts on the matter." Thankfully Hermione had transcribed the information before she had returned to Hogwarts.

The wizard took the piece of parchment and read it over twice. Taking a quill in hand, he hastily penned a message on a separate piece of parchment and tapped it with his wand. The paper folded itself into a bird and flew out the small window above the office door. "I've sent my assistant to retrieve a book from the archives in the basement," Daniel explained. "I would like to check something before I give you my thoughts on the matter," he explained.

It was only a few minutes before there was a knock on the door and the assistant appeared with the requested tome. Daphne watched as the wizard flipped through the pages to the one he sought. The next several minutes were consumed as the solicitor read from the book and then from the parchment Hermione had provided. "I see," Daniel finally said with a sigh as he sat back in his chair deep in thought. "Well, that does present a bit of a problem."

A clearing of Daphne's throat reminded the man that he was not alone. "Sorry," Daniel offered apologetically. "It is an ancient law it would seem. I'm actually surprised it is still on the books," he confessed. "In short, it is a legal and binding marriage agreement, Lady Black. You will need to provide Lord Black with an heir before a year's time is what it basically amounts to."

Daphne's shoulders sagged in defeat as she had truly wished that there was some manner by which she could get out of having a baby. _It's not that I mind being married to Harry_ , she mused. _It could be far worse_ , she realized, thinking of Blaise Zabini and suppressing a shudder. "I doubt very much that Harry would snap my wand," Daphne stated with a small forced chuckle.

"Mister Potter may not have a choice in the matter I'm afraid," Mister Wright informed Daphne. "If you do not produce an heir within the given time frame you would be considered unfit to be his wife. The law states he would be required to snap your wand and send you back to your family. Having forfeited your virtue, as well as been unable to bear a child, you must be relinquished to the nearest Cloister to serve the church until the end of your days."

"But the Church burns witches at the stake!" Daphne exclaimed, sudden visions of her being captured and tied to a tree to be roasted like a pig on a spit swarmed through her head.

"I don't believe they still do that, Lady Black," Mister Wright offered encouragingly. "In the time when this law was enacted, if a hamlet or small village had a witch in residence they were considered fortunate. It wasn't till much later in history that the clergy took to hunting witches. Please keep in mind that this law was for magical folk, not the muggles of that era."

The stunned witch sat there in utter disbelief of what had become of her life. _If I had just picked someone else none of this would have happened_ , she growled, all the more furious as she only had herself to blame apparently. _If I have to join a convent, then I doubt I will be able to see Tracey, which means I will lose my magic. Well, at least they won't be able to burn me at the stake for being a witch._

"I can, of course, submit a bill to have this law revoked," Mister Wright said, causing the witch with him to look up hopefully, "however, as the law is already enacted upon yourself and Mister Potter it will not change your circumstances, I'm afraid." Seeing the young lady wilt upon hearing his words the wizard tried to be helpful. "I hear they have potions now that can guarantee the birth of a boy."

"Thank you," Daphne answered dryly, recalling she had said the very thing to Astoria not all that long ago.

"I will research this further and see if there is anything else," Daniel offered, his tone conveying that he didn't give it much hope. "Is there something else I can help you with today, Lady Black?"

Left with little choice in the matter, Daphne gathered her thoughts and pushed the issue of babies and losing her magic to the back of her mind for the time being. "Actually, yes, there is. Given what my father has done, I would like this made as legally sound as possible," Daphne stated as she withdrew a second scroll from her handbag and passed it over to the solicitor.

Daniel Wright opened the scroll and started to read it, his eyebrows climbing into his hairline with each passing second. "You do realize that this would be rather difficult to make a case of?" he finally asked looking towards the witch over the top edge of the parchment.

"That is irrelevant," Daphne replied with a dismissive wave of her hand. "I don't expect him to believe it just from the document alone." The Slytherin witch outlined her plans for her father to the solicitor who paled upon hearing it. "I only need father to doubt. If he does that, then I'll have him and be able to beat him at his own game!" Daphne exclaimed triumphantly.

"I don't see anything explicitly illegal in what you're doing, though it does skirt an ethically gray area," the wizard replied. "If you are successful you could open yourselves up for your father to turn around and do the very same thing to you," Mister Wright pointed out.

"I don't believe he will do such a thing," Daphne countered with. "Public opinion would still be on our side, and he knows it. While he could possibly win, his name and business reputation would be worth less than the mud in the streets. While I am certain he won't take this calmly and that there will be retribution from him at some point, we'll just have to cross that bridge when we come to it."

"I'll have the necessary papers drawn up and distributed per your request," Mister Wright informed Daphne. "When would you like to confront your father?"

"The sooner, the better," Daphne answered. "I believe that Harry's life is in danger so I'd prefer not to wait any longer than we need to." Seeing the questioning look on the man's face, Daphne proceeded to explain her belief in the manner by which her father planned to get his hands on the Black family gold. "The sooner we can complete this the sooner Harry will be safe."

"Would tomorrow be soon enough?" Daniel Wright asked, feeling the protection of his client meant a great deal to him and his partners. "If you can meet me here first thing in the morning we can hopefully have this matter resolved before lunchtime." Daphne agreed and thanked the man as Daniel walked her out to use the floo to return home. On the way back to his office he stopped and gathered his partners so that he could inform them of just what was transpiring.

**-oOo-**

"Where is he?" Daphne growled, her fingertips drumming upon the dining room table. The table itself was set for two, with candles lit and an assortment of dishes Winky had assured her were Harry's favorites. The young witch swirled the last of her wine within the glass before hastily downing it in a single gulp. It had all started several hours previously, shortly after her return from speaking with Harry's solicitors.

Daphne strolled into the kitchen of Westfield Manor and looked about, never having stepped into the room prior to just that moment. "It is far more spacious than I would have thought," she commented aloud, surveying the many cupboards, counter tops and cooking utensils that were suspended from a hanging rack.

There was a soft pop to one side as Winky appeared, a rather startled look on her face. "Does the Mistress wish for Winky to make her something to eat?" the house elf enquired, wringing her hand nervously. With the witch's marriage to her Master, Daphne was now her Mistress. It was paramount to the house elf that she not disappoint Daphne in any manner less she be given clothing. Having already been dismissed in such a way once in her life Winky did not care to repeat such a disgrace.

"Yes," Daphne hastily replied only to see the elf burst into action. "Sort of, I mean," Daphne quickly added, causing Winky to pause with a skillet already over the open flame of the stove. "What I mean is that I want to cook dinner tonight."

The effect Daphne's words had on the house elf were startling, to say the least. "Mistress does not like Winky's cooking," Winky said, her ears drooping and big tears appearing in her bulbous eyes. The pan was hastily set aside, all but forgotten. "Winky is sorry and will do better," the distraught elf cried, dropping to her knees and begging. "Please do not send Winky away!"

"Send you away?" Daphne asked, completely flummoxed by Winky actions. "Morgana forbid! I wouldn't know what to do without you," Daphne exclaimed, earning a hopeful glance from the elf. "Harry and I, all of us for that matter, couldn't be happier with your service, Winky," Daphne added to help reassure the elf.

"But Mistress doesn't want Winky to cook?" Winky pointed out from where she remained on her knees.

"Sorry. That was a misunderstanding," Daphne clarified. "I want to cook Harry a special meal tonight." It had taken some convincing to get the others to leave the manor. Luna had happily taken Teddy over to the Lupin Home to spend some time with Anna and the others there. The little metamorphmagus had been an instant hit during the holiday visit.

Tracey had been the real issue as Andi had to work that evening and wouldn't be home till rather late. In the end, Daphne had told Tracey that she planned to discuss the three of them being together with Harry which was why she wanted the time alone with the wizard. The auburn-haired witch was less than pleased but given the reasoning finally agreed to it, leaving for the Davis store and dragging Astoria with her.

"It will just be Harry and I this evening for dinner, and I want to make him a meal with my own hands. We've only just been married, and I really haven't had an opportunity to do anything nice for him," Daphne told the slowly calming elf.

"Does Mistress know her way about the kitchen?" Winky enquired.

"I…I was hoping you could sort of help me with that," Daphne stated, her cheeks pink in embarrassment. "I've never really cooked anything before," the young witch admitted.

"Winky will help Mistress then," the elf stated, climbing back to her feet, brushing off her skirt and glad to be able to help her Mistress.

"Please, Daphne is fine," Daphne said as she brushed some dirt from the back of Winky's skirt, feeling a bit responsible for it being there. _I don't recall our elf being so emotional_ , Daphne thought, thinking of the Greengrass house elf.

"As Mistress Daphne wishes," Winky replied crisply. Though she was an elf, Winky was also a woman. Having just recently joined with Kreacher, she could well understand wanting to do something special for the one you care about. The fact that it was for her Master Harry and it was her Mistress wishing to do so made the elf happy. "Winky was to make chicken tonight."

In short order, Winky had Daphne setup and dicing ingredients that they would need to prepare the meal. The young witch learned how to grind pepper, salt, dried garlic, onion, and dill. After being shown the correct way to hold a knife, Daphne diced fresh parsley. The ingredients were combined with cream and milk to form a dressing into which the juice of two lemons was squeezed.

"I never knew there was so much work involved in cooking," Daphne said, taking a short break after mixing everything together. Seeing a bottle of wine nearby, she poured herself a glass and took a sip of the red liquid, delighting in the feel of it as it slipped down her throat. Her parents had allowed Daphne and her sister a small glass of wine with their evening meals every so often. The young woman had come to appreciate the taste of the delicious liquid.

"Winky enjoys working in Mistress Daphne's Kitchen," the elf answered as she cleaned and prepared the chicken they would be using.

Daphne just grinned, realizing that in no way was this room anything other than Winky's Kitchen. "Wouldn't it just be easier to use magic to do the cooking?" asked Daphne taking another sip of her wine as she leaned against the counter watching Winky work.

"Easier yes," Winky agreed as she halved and then quartered the bird, "but it wouldn't taste the same." Seeing the questioning look on the witch's face, Winky explained. "There is more to cooking than just the ingredients, Mistress Daphne. Winky be putting her love of family into everything Winky makes. That is something that magic cannot do. If Mistress puts her love into her cooking, then Winky is sure Master Harry will be able to taste it."

Daphne hastily finished the remainder of the wine in her glass. _Would that be such a bad thing?_ She asked herself. _I do love him after all_. The very admission of that fact made her cheeks blush. _Morgana! Why does this have to be so difficult?_ She wondered as she refilled her glass. _It's all because of father!_

Thought of the Head of the Greengrass family sent a shiver down the young woman's spine. _I'll have to confront him tomorrow morning_. The plan was to meet with Daniel Wright and then floo to the Greengrass residence. _If this scheme goes pear-shaped, then I won't have to worry about sleeping with Harry._ For some reason, the young woman didn't like that thought, not at all.

"Do you honestly think so?" Daphne asked, taking a sip of wine to wet her suddenly dry throat. It was all good and fine to plan for tomorrow's meeting but now that it was nearly time to put her plan into action Daphne was more than a little scared. _Father is well known for his temper_ , she reminded herself, having been on the receiving end of said temper more than a time or two. She could only hope that the presence of Mister Wright would prevent her father from acting out.

"Cooking is not unlike a magic of its own," Winky told her Mistress as she set a large skillet on the stove followed by a large pot and then a smaller one. "You add a bit of this, a pinch of that, a portion of the desired ingredients and then stir in a bit of yourself. If your magic is good and true, then those that eat your cooking will be made happy by it."

Daphne paused, having moved to the sink while Winky spoke to begin washing the bushel of red potatoes that would be served as a side dish. "It is more like making a potion from the way you describe it," she stated before returning to washing the items at hand.

"Mistress is smart," Winky replied with a warm smile, thinking her Mistress was a good match for her Master. _I hope they will have lots of babies for Winky to care for._ "With brewing, you take many ingredients and make them more than they be alone by mixing them together. Cooking is no different. Sometimes what you mix does not come out the way you expect it to, but that is what practice is for." The she-elf loved to cook, and the joy of her labor was echoed in her words.

Gathering the washed potatoes, Daphne took them to the counter in the center of the kitchen to begin dicing them up. The young woman was rather surprised she had never seen the similarities before. _Probably because I've never cooked before_ , she told herself. _Then again you never had someone to cook for before either_. Daphne paused to sip her wine again, realizing that she rather liked cooking.

Under Winky's careful guidance Daphne added red wine, soy sauce, the dressing they had made, brown sugar, ground ginger, garlic, and oregano together in a bowl until the sugar dissolved completely. This mixture was then used to coat the chicken. Olive oil was added to the large pan along with two cloves of garlic. Once it was ready, the coated chicken was added to cook.

Dicing the broccoli before her afford Daphne some time to think. _In less than three months I have to sleep with Harry._ It was still hard to believe, but Daphne was becoming a little more use to the thought as it had been on her mind almost since the moment she was told of it. _I'm his wife. It's only natural that we would sleep together_ , she tried to tell herself, only then realizing that she had been staying in her own rooms since returning to Westfield.

_Why hasn't Harry asked me to move to his room?_ Daphne pondered as she took a sip of wine. _Does he not want me there?_ The thought seemed almost too absurd to even contemplate at first. _Maybe he doesn't find me attractive,_ she wondered as she refilled her glass. Recalling all the times she had caught the wizard ogling her chest, she quickly dismissed that notion. Adding the diced broccoli to one pot to steam Daphne stepped back and leaned against the counter to wait.

Winky fearfully shot glances towards her Mistress. The young witch was already working on the second bottle of wine, the first having been finished when used with the chicken. The elf had fetched a new bottle to add to the cooking chicken only for her Mistress to start to drink the remainder of it. Unless Winky was wrong, Daphne was becoming a little wobbly on her feet.

_Why hasn't he made a move on me yet?_ The witch's alcohol infused brain asked, a hint of indignation in her mental tone. _I know he's interested in me. Morgana knows I've flirted enough with him that he should be aware that I find him attractive._ A thought suddenly struck the bright witch. _He doesn't know what to do! I bet he's never been with anyone before_. _Not that I have been either_ , a small voice of reason sounded in her head.

Daphne recalled that there had been one witch in Harry's life. _There was that Weasley girl. They were supposed to get engaged or were engaged_ , she couldn't honestly recall. For some reason, the thought of Harry engaged to another witch really made her angry. _Well, apparently she didn't show him anything_ , Daphne finally reasoned, watching Winky pour a generous amount of wine over the chicken.

_At this rate it might be a year before he gathers his courage up to do anything_ , Daphne thought, taking a rather large gulp from her glass. _Some Gryffindor he is_ , she snorted humorously causing Winky to glance in her direction with a concerned look. _Well, I've got three months_ , she told herself. Under Winky's watchful eye the steamed broccoli was removed and placed in a bowl ready to be severed.

It was while she waited on the red potatoes to finish that she had a revelation of sorts. _Why? Why am I even waiting? Three months, three weeks, three days? Does it make any difference?_ Daphne's brow creased in thought as she tried to find a reason for waiting, but nothing came to mind. _I should just get it over with and be done with it. There is no way out of it, and I don't want to lose Tracey or my magic._

_If something goes wrong tomorrow and something happens to me then what?_ She asked herself. The wine, combined with her very vivid imagination, provided all sorts of scenarios. Everything from her father exploding in a fit of rage and injuring her, causing her to be in a coma at St. Mungo's for many months to him keeping her locked in the cellars below the Greengrass Manor till Harry came to rescue her. _No telling how long that would take._

Winky called Daphne's attention back to the food as they removed it from the stove and set it to be served. With the elf's assistance, being none too steady on her feet, Daphne set the table with candles and flowers to make it as romantic as possible. A quick shower and change of clothes found the witch seated at the table awaiting her wizard, in a very low cut dress that hugged the curves of her body rather nicely.

The inebriated witch sat drumming her fingers on the table top when there was a small pop announcing the arrival of a house elf. Seeing the waiting witch, the smartly dressed elf gave a small bow. "Master Harry has asked Lolly to convey that he will be home later than expected and that everyone should begin dinner without him."

**-oOo-**

Harry flew down and jumped from his Firebolt at the foot of the stairs leading up to the front door of Westfield Manor. The young wizard hadn't intended to stay as long as he had at the Lupin home. It had been nice to sit and chat with Susan and the Patil twins of course, but it was the small child curled within his lap fast asleep that had detained him more than anything else.

Truth be told he hadn't wanted to put the little girl down. Harry was still amazed at just how much Anna had come to mean to him. He saw a bit of himself in her. Orphaned and alone at a young age with no one to look after her. The young man was determined to see to it that the little girl had a loving family to care for her. Catching the witches with him stifling yawns of their own finally forced him to put Anna to bed and return home.

Climbing the stairs with his broom slung over his shoulder Harry had to smile recalling the squeals of laughter Luna and Teddy had caused as they played with the other children. Teddy took great pride in showing off how he could morph into the resemblance of a house elf, complete with big floppy ears and bulbous eyes. _He still hasn't figured out how to do the nose yet_ , Harry mused to himself as he opened the door.

Storing his Firebolt in the closet near the door, Harry hoped that Luna would remember to be back home in time for breakfast. The former Ravenclaw, at the urging of several children, had agreed to spend the night there with Teddy. _I'm sure she'll be back in the morning so Andi can see Teddy_ , he told himself as he turned only to notice that there was someone seated at the dining room table. "Daphne?" Harry asked questioningly as he eyed the witch and the food set out on the table.

"You're late," Daphne said, her words slurring slightly.

"I'm sorry," Harry apologized. "I sent Lolly to tell everyone I would be late and that you should eat without me."

"What everyone?" Daphne snapped angrily. "It's just me. I even cooked for you," she told him with a gesture towards the waiting food.

Harry looked at the food once more, noticing several of his favorite dishes as well as the empty bottle of wine. "Wow, you did all this for me?" Harry asked only to see Daphne nod, her bottom lip sticking out as she pouted rather cutely. "I don't know what to say, Daphne. Thank you." Things had been rather awkward around Daphne ever since he had walked in on her and Tracey. Not knowing what to do about the situation, Harry had tried to avoid both of them as much as possible.

"It's too late now," Daphne told him as she huffed and turned away slightly. "Dinner was some time ago, Potter."

Harry flinched at her choice of names for him. "Actually, I haven't had dinner yet. I was over at the Lupin home and got rather tied up with things over there which is why I couldn't make it back here in time to eat. There were some issues that Susan and Parvati needed me to take a look at," he said. There had been, but it had only taken a minute or two to resolve the matter. Harry hoped it was a good enough cover to appease the upset witch before him.

"So you haven't eaten?" Daphne asked a hopeful note in her tone.

"No. I was just going to grab a sandwich from the chiller, but this looks much better," Harry told her with a warm smile. "Have you eaten?" Harry asked, only to see Daphne shake that she hadn't. "Would you have dinner with me then?"

"I would love to," Daphne replied, her attitude doing a complete turnabout. Daphne served Harry, filling his plate with a portion of everything. For his part, Harry made certain to taste everything and compliment Daphne at how wonderful it was. The two exchanged small talk for several long minutes before Daphne looked at the wizard beside her. "Do you think I'm pretty?"

Harry started to choke, the chicken he had just swallowed suddenly going down wrong. The young man's self-preservation alarms were ringing loudly, but he wasn't exactly sure why. "Is that a trick question?" he finally asked once he could breathe again.

"You didn't answer my question," Daphne pressed. "We're married already so if you don't think I'm attractive it's alright," she told him in a deceptively casual tone of voice.

"What's this about, Daphne?" Harry asked, stalling for time. The man's fight or flee instincts were screaming for him to vacate the witch's presence as quickly as apparition could remove him. The question itself was just filled with landmines. Answer too fast, and you weren't taking it seriously enough. Answer too slowly, and you weren't telling the truth. No reply at all would mean he didn't think she was pretty.

"Just answer the question, Harry," Daphne replied. "It's not like I'm going to get mad or anything. I just want to know how you honestly feel about me."

Backed into a corner the wizard had only two options. Disapparate from the house and never return or answer the question. "A man would have to be dead not to think that you're beautiful, Daphne," Harry finally replied. "I believe that you're one of the most stunning witches I know." The wizard breathed a silent sigh of relief as he saw a smile appear on Daphne's face, believing he had answered correctly.

"Thank you, Harry. That's very sweet of you," Daphne said, as her cheeks took on a redness that had nothing to do with the wine she had consumed. "Why haven't you asked me to move into your rooms then? We are husband and wife now after all."

"Well…umm…I…," Harry stammered, trying to decide what to say. _I doubt telling her that Luna is already there would be a good answer right about now_ , he mused, suspecting that the witch with him was rather drunk at the moment. _No telling what she would do to me!_

"You know," Daphne continued in a sultry voice as she stood, pushing her chair back from the table in the process. "I think that the big bad Harry Potter is scared of little ole' me," Daphne teased with a playful grin as she stepped across the space from her chair to Harry's. "You don't know what to do with me now that you've caught me," she said as she spun about and dropped into Harry's lap, her arms encircling the startled wizard's neck.

"Daphne!" Harry squawked in a rather undignified manner. "What are you doing?" he managed to stammer as the witch in his lap leaned against him. The softness of Daphne's breasts pushing into his chest was rather distracting, in the best possible way. A quick glance downward, what man could resist doing so, revealed an incredible array of bare milky white skin.

"Silly man," Daphne answered in a low husky voice, "I'm seducing you of course," she added before capturing Harry's lips in hers in a searing kiss that was filled with all the passion and need she could manage. Set upon her course, Daphne pursued it with near reckless abandonment, shifting in Harry's lap and rubbing against him suggestively.

Not one to turn down a beautiful witch, Harry deepened the kiss, recalling telling Andi and Luna that is he ever did turn down a beautiful witch to have him committed. The thought of Luna brought Harry up short, causing him to break their kiss sooner than either had wished. _I have to tell her about Luna. She has a right to know_. "Wait, Daphne. I think we should wai-,"

"I don't want to wait," Daphne replied, capturing Harry's lips with hers once more and cutting the wizard off in mid-word. _I can't risk waiting_ , she told herself. The wine and her fear of what might happen driving her on despite being scared of making love for the first time. _I already drank the potion to ensure conception and that it will be a boy. No going back now_ , the wine told her.

"Daphne, this isn't like you," Harry managed to get out as he pushed the needy witch away from him a bit and held her at bay. He could feel Daphne trembling in his grasp. _She's terrified. Why is she doing this?_

"I want you, Harry," Daphne pleaded, trying to rub up against him. "Don't you want me too?"

There was no denying that his body wanted her. It was a fact he was certain she was well aware of given where she was seated. As if reading his thoughts Daphne squirmed in his lap eliciting a small groan of pleasure. Harry opened his mouth to tell her that he didn't want her, at least not like this, when there was a rather loud banging upon the front door.

"Ignore it," Daphne told Harry, trying to draw his lips down to hers once more.

Not knowing what else to do Harry did the only thing he could do and stood up, startling the witch in his arms. Hastily dumping Daphne onto his vacated chair, Harry extracted himself from her arms and went to answer the door, utterly bewildered by the witch's behavior. "Now what?" Harry mumbled under his breath as he opened the door only to freeze. "Hermione? What are you doing here?"

"I'm moving in," Hermione replied, certain that her trunk next to her would have clued Harry into that much at least. The young witch gathered her courage, and recalling her mother's story, did what she couldn't do previously. "I'm in love with you, Harry!" she said before stepping forward, throwing her arms around the stunned wizard and capturing his lips with her own.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know you've all been waiting to see just what Hermione discovered, so I hope it was worth the wait. I wanted it to be something original that tied in nicely with actual history. My belief is that back then marriages were very simple things. Sadly, women were worth less than livestock which is why the wand was the only thing of value, not the witch herself. Glad to see that the Wizarding world has progressed somewhat since the 1300's. Leave me a review and let me know if you liked it or not.
> 
> As always, your reviews are not required, but they are greatly appreciated.
> 
> Kind Regards,
> 
> EJ Daniels
> 
> All characters within this story, unless otherwise stated are the sole property of J. K. Rowling the original writer of the Harry Potter series.


	23. A Late Wedding Present

**Chapter 23 – A Late Wedding Present  
. . .**

For a long moment, there was nothing other than the soft feel of Hermione's lips against his. It was a sensation that captivated the young wizard's entire attention. The man's natural reflexes took over, and he returned the kiss with a fevered passion of his own. It was only when Hermione broke their kiss that Harry recalled who else was there with them. The witch in the doorway stepping around him and into the house suddenly re-engaging the man's brain.

"Hermione, wait!" Harry exclaimed, frantically trying to figure out how to explain Daphne to Hermione and vice-versa. Hermione paused, her trunk floating directly behind her, and turned to regard Harry with an arched brow. Turning around Harry was able to see past Hermione and into the dining room, its emptiness surprising him as he was certain Daphne would've been there still. "What are you doing here?" he asked, repeating his previous question as he tried to figure out what had happened to his dinner partner.

"Honestly, Harry," Hermione answered with a small smile, the man before her appearing to be a bit distracted or flustered. _I never knew my kiss could have that effect on him_ , she mused a bit triumphantly to herself. _He's so cute like that!_ "You did say this was my home after all, so I decided to come home."

"A fact that I'm immensely pleased with," Harry stated. "But why now? Won't you be missed at Hogwarts? I'm sure Professor McGonagall would be rather cross with finding her Head Girl here."

"I imagine she would be if I were her Head Girl," Hermione countered with. "I decided that I didn't wish to remain at Hogwarts, Harry. Being with you here made me realize just how different Hogwarts is without you there," Hermione told him. "Now that Luna is gone as well, it just isn't the same."

Harry couldn't believe his ears. This was the girl he'd grown up with for the past eight years who had regularly championed the virtues of having a good education. _Now she's just going to throw it away?_ "But what about your studies? You'll miss out on taking your NEWTs."

"I'll just sit the classes with the others here," Hermione told him. "I'm certain Mary won't mind one more in her class. Unless your agreement with her is only for the Daphne, Tracey, and Luna?" Seeing Harry indicate that it wasn't, Hermione pressed on. "Then it shouldn't be a problem. Now, if you'll excuse me I'd like to get settled."

Harry couldn't think of any reason to disagree with Hermione and so escorted her up to her rooms. "I'll talk to Mary about it, but I doubt it will be an issue. I expect her back the day after tomorrow," Harry said as they ascended the stairs. "I can't imagine McGonagall took the news too well," Harry stated with a small chuckle, envisioning just how that conversation must have gone.

Hermione's face took on a slightly vexed look. It was an expression Harry knew well as his best friend wore it every time she had a problem she was thinking on and had been unable to solve. "McGonagall took it rather well, all things considered. While I was packing, she came by for a chat and stayed till I was done. Not once did she ask me to reconsider. In fact, I almost got the impression that she would have helped me pack if I had but asked her to."

"Really?" Harry asked in disbelief.

"It was almost like she knew I wouldn't be happy till I was here," Hermione said in a distracted tone, still working the issue in her head. While the bright witch had come to that conclusion, it somehow didn't sit right with her, and so she was still attempting to figure it out.

Harry gave a small chuckle. "Well, you have been one of her favorite students since first-year, Hermione. She probably knows you fairly well by now I should think."

"Possibly," Hermione answered as they reached the doors to her rooms. After opening the door, the young witch gestured with her wand, and her trunk floated into the chamber. "Well, I guess I'll see you at breakfast, Harry," Hermione said as she turned to face the wizard, suddenly feeling a bit awkward. Leaning in she gave Harry a quick peck on the cheek before stepping back into her room and closing the door after they exchanged good nights.

"Stupid! Stupid! Stupid!" Hermione berated herself as she turned and leaned against the closed door. "Why did I do that? Whatever was I thinking?" she asked herself as she pushed off the door and made her way to the bedroom to put her things away. As she was unpacking, she couldn't help but recall what had happened.

Professor McGonagall had escorted her down to the ward line of Hogwarts, wishing her good luck in a tone that made Hermione feel as though it wasn't in reference to her schooling. After a goodbye which both witches tried not to make tearful, and failed, she had apparated to the front of Westfield Manor. Though it was late, it was not so late that everyone would be abed already, she reasoned.

Mounting the front porch with her trunk floating behind her, Hermione had noticed that there were lights on. Stepping over to the side the young woman glanced through the window just in time to see Daphne stand and make her way over towards Harry only to fall into his lap.

A torrent of emotions flooded through the witch moving her without even her consciously thinking about it. Hermione's insistent pounding upon the front door brought Harry, as she knew it would. Upon seeing the man before her, the young woman could only think of one thing. _I have to tell Harry how I truly feel about him. It's now or never!_ Gathering her courage, Hermione declared her love and then proceeded to capture Harry's lips with her own.

Hermione paused in putting her clothes away, dropping onto her bed with a shirt clasped in her hands in her lap. "What am I doing?" she asked despondently in a sad little voice. For the first time in her life, Hermione didn't have a plan, with several contingency plans in case the original one didn't work out. The young woman found herself floundering in the waters of love without a clue as to how she should proceed.

**-oOo-**

Harry stared at the door for several long moments. _Hermione is in love with me_ , he told himself as a smile spread across his face. The ecstatic young man did a little jig right there in the hallway before turning and taking two steps only to slam back into reality. _I'm married to Daphne and Luna._

"Bloody hell!" Harry swore, coming to an abrupt halt. "Hermione is in love with me. Now, what do I do?" The young wizard stood frozen with indecisiveness for several long seconds as he pondered this latest predicament. _There's really nothing I can do about it right at this moment_ , Harry finally decided. Marching back to her door and telling Hermione that it just wasn't possible wasn't all that appealing.

"I'm sure if I were to do that it would hurt her feelings to no end," Harry reasoned. Which was something the young man wanted to avoid at all costs? Of course, the fact that Hermione was in love with him also felt wonderful, and Harry wasn't quite ready to give that up just yet. Unable to do anything about it at the moment, the young wizard pushed it aside for later, much as he had the issue concerning Daphne and Tracey.

There was, however, a more pressing matter. One that Harry felt he could deal with, or better yet, had better deal with now rather than later. Making his way a bit further down the hallway, Harry stopped before the doors to Daphne's rooms and knocked. "Daphne, it's me, Harry. Can I come in?" he asked through the door only to receive no answer.

Opening the door, Harry saw that the sitting room was empty and the door to the bedroom was closed. Stepping into the room the wizard closed the door behind him, being certain to lock it as he didn't want them to be interrupted and the wrong conclusion being drawn. On his way to the bedroom door, Harry noticed an empty potion bottle and paused to inspect it. Reading the back of the bottle, the wizard nodded in understanding. "Well, that certainly explains a few things," he mumbled to himself as he set the bottle down.

Harry crossed to the bedroom door and gave a small knock before repeating his earlier words. "Daphne, it's me, Harry. Can I come in?" His words were met with silence. "Look, I know you're in there. Can we at least talk about what happened?" he enquired. While he had asked to discuss the matter, Harry had no clue how to explain Hermione's actions or even his own for that matter.

"Go away. I don't want you seeing me," came Daphne's voice through the closed door. From the sound of her voice, it was clear to Harry that she was upset.

"This is rubbish," Harry growled to himself. "I'm coming in," he warned the upset witch before forcing the door open with his magic. The bedroom was dark without a single light on. The bright light cast through the open door revealed a rather indistinguishable lump in the center of the overly large four-posted bed. Seeing the lump shy away from the light, Harry hastily closed the door, plunging the room back into darkness.

_Well, I'm in. Now what?_ Harry asked himself feeling a bit awkward and conscientious of the fact that he had just barged into a girl's bedroom. Last time he had done that he had inadvertently walked in on Daphne and Tracey. _That's right! Daphne is in love with Tracey, not me._ Feeling a bit relieved by that fact, Harry made his way to the side of the bed before climbing onto it and laying down beside the witch.

Daphne was more than a little startled when she felt the bed shift as Harry lay down beside her. The fact that she was under the covers while he was apparently on top of them did very little to slow the rapid beating of her heart. "Go away, Harry," she told the man beside her once again. "Why are you here?"

"I think we need to talk about it," Harry replied, still uncertain just how he was going to explain not only Hermione's kiss but the fact that the witch was moving in and would be attending classes with everyone else.

"There's nothing to talk about," Daphne stated with a small sniffle as she tried to hold back the tears.

"Oh I think there is and I'm not leaving till we've discussed it," said Harry rather stubbornly. The truth of the matter was that there were a great many things Harry wished to discuss with the witch beside him, Hermione's kiss only being the newest of them. There was the matter of their marriage as well as his own marriage to Luna.

Harry also wanted to ask Daphne about Tracey and just what her plans were for the future. _It's only because of me that she is now married to me_ , Harry felt. He was fairly sure that had it been any other wizard things would not have gone as they had. _No need for Daphne to miss out on being happy._ The young wizard decided he was okay with Tracey and Daphne carrying on their relationship if it made them both happy.

Divorce was not an option in the Wizarding world apparently. While Harry knew he was in love with Daphne, he knew she did not feel the same way about him. _What kind of monster would I be to stand in their way at a chance at happiness? We can go through the motions of being married_ , he reasoned. Attending functions together so outwardly they appeared to have a loving marriage. _Isn't that what old married couples do?_ _If Tracey should happen to come with us as Daphne's best friend, well who would be the wiser?_

"You're really not going to leave?" Daphne asked from beneath the covers. The young woman cringed upon hearing the hopeful note in her voice.

"I'm prepared to stay here all night if I must," Harry told her as he shifted into a slightly more comfortable position.

There was a long silence through which neither of them spoke. "I'm sorry. How can you stand to look at me?" Daphne asked suddenly, her voice thick with tears.

Whatever Harry had expected the witch to say it certainly hadn't been those words. "Whatever could you possibly be sorry for?" Harry asked, rolling onto his side to face the witch's back. The fact that Daphne was crying over his actions suddenly had the wizard feeling miserable and lower than dirt.

"I threw myself at you like some common slag!" Daphne exclaimed as the tears broke free at last. "How can you even be in the same room as me, Harry? I must disgust you!"

Harry could see the covers tremble as the witch cried. Reaching out he laid a hand upon Daphne's shoulder. "It's alright," he tried to assure her.

"No, it's not alright!" Daphne said, a tinge of anger in her words. "I'm so confused that I don't know what I'm doing these days. My life was all set, or so I thought before father decided to marry me off like a prize bull at a country fair. Then you came along and rescued me only you're nothing like I thought you'd be! You were sweet and kind, and you didn't want anything in return for it either."

Harry remained silent, having learned through his many years with Hermione, that it was often best to let her get it out of her system before trying to say anything. Opening his mouth opened the possibility for Hermione to be mad at him after all. It had taken Harry a few years to learn that one.

"You not only took me in but also wanted to see that I was able to complete my schooling. You took me shopping and never once complained, even when I stayed longer than I needed to! You even gave me my own muggle galleon card so I could shop whenever I wanted to! You knew I had arranged to run into you in London and yet you still took me!"

"You've been nearly perfect Harry! I say nearly as you do seem to have a few too many witches about you to be completely perfect. Even with that, you genuinely care for them all and try to make them happy as best you can. You took in Luna when her father passed. You even got Tracey to open up to you, something I thought no male would ever be able to do! Not only did you do that but I believe she is in love with you as well!" Daphne told him, rolling over to try and read Harry's face in the darkness.

"How could I not fall in love with you? You're almost too good to be true, Harry! Then father had to go ruin it all by selling you my wand and making you marry me! Now I have to give you an heir which means I have to get pregnant in three months and that's only if I survive my meeting with father tomorrow, which is not a certainty. My life has become so chaotic and out of my control that I don't know what to do anymore," Daphne vomited forth, finally running out of steam.

Harry, completely overwhelmed by the torrent of words and emotions didn't know what to say. Acting on impulse the wizard did the one thing he could do, he reached out and drew the distraught witch into his arms and held her tightly to his chest. No sooner had Harry pulled Daphne in close then she started to sob into his shirt. The bewildered young man held the crying girl, absently rubbing her back and placing soft kisses on the crown of her head every now and then while murmuring what he hoped were words of comfort.

Eventually, the sobs turned to quiet tears and sniffles. Harry waited till the witch in his arms had stopped trembling before he said anything. "I love you too, Daphne," he confessed softly.

"Really?" Daphne asked after a long pause, her voice sounding meek and subdued to the wizard.

"I hadn't planned on it," Harr told her. "I knew you loved someone else and figured I didn't have a chance. It just sort of happened I guess."

Daphne lay with her head upon Harry's chest, one hand absently playing with a button on the wizard's shirt. "Are you sure? It would be very cruel for you to tell me that and not mean it."

Harry chuckled deep in his chest, the sound reaching Daphne through her ear that was laid there. The young witch found the sound rather enjoyable. "I would be the first to admit that I know little about love," Harry told her. "Professor Dumbledore said once that the power I had to defeat Voldemort was love." Harry noticed that Daphne didn't shiver at the name of the former Dark Lord as so many others still did.

"It was the power he knew not," Harry continued to explain. "The Headmaster believed that I had the ability to love others and that from that love I drew my strength. Voldemort, never having received love or having ever given it, couldn't understand it. When you truly love someone, there isn't anything you wouldn't do for them to see them happy. Just as there isn't anything I wouldn't do for you, Daphne, to see you happy," Harry told the startled witch. "So yes, I'm sure."

"Oh Harry," Daphne said as she raised her head, stretched forward and captured the wizard's lips in a heated kiss. It was some time before their lips parted upon which they discovered Harry's shirt had become unbuttoned so that Daphne's hands could explore. Additionally, Harry had a rather firm grasp of Daphne's bum, a fact both rather enjoyed. "Harry we need to talk," Daphne gasped as their lips finally separated.

Harry reluctantly agreed and situated himself upon the pillows with Daphne once again laying her head on his now bare chest. The snog had been a rather wonderfully distracting pastime for the both of them. However, they each knew there were things to discuss. "Do you want me to go with you tomorrow?" Harry asked once Daphne seemed to be settled and he had slipped his arm around her, pulling her in close.

"Tempting," Daphne confessed, "But I would rather handle father on my own. I've lived in fear of that man for my entire life. If I don't do something now, I'll always be afraid of him. It's also a Greengrass family matter. Mister Wright will be there as well, so it's not like I will be going it alone."

"I don't fancy you going at all," Harry told her honestly. The young wizard was one who was used to doing things himself. Having someone else go in his stead was not in his nature, especially if it placed someone he loved in danger. "I'm not one for sitting on the sidelines. If something should happen to you…,"

Daphne was touched by his caring words. "I'll be fine, Harry," she tried to assure him as one hand caressed the wizard's bare chest affectionately. "I don't really expect father to try anything after all. He's not the type to make any rash decisions without a plan or two to back him up. I'm hoping to catch him unprepared and be in and out well before lunch."

Harry grumbled about it but finally accepted it for something Daphne needed to do herself. "How about we go out to lunch then afterward, just the two of us," Harry offered.

"Really?" Daphne asked, an excited edge to her tone. "Just you and I?" to which she received a grunt of agreement. "Then I get to pick the place."

"As long as it is anywhere other than Madam Puddifoot's that should be all right," Harry told Daphne, barely managing to suppress a shudder at the memory of the hideous decor of the tea shop in Hogsmeade. If it hadn't been for the presence of the beautiful witch with him at the time, Harry was certain that he would have fled the place as soon as he had stepped in it.

"Oh darn, and here I was so looking forward to being surrounded by ghastly shades of pink too!" Daphne quipped back with a grin. "Actually I was thinking more along the lines of that French place you first took Andi and me to that time. It was supposed to be just the two of us, and now it can be."

Harry quickly agreed, making a mental note not to try the snails still. "So, do you want to tell me what happened downstairs? I'm assuming that has to do with the whole heir thing you mentioned? Is that why you…," the young man's words trailed off as he wasn't really certain how to say the rest politely.

"Tried to seduce you? Threw myself at you like some brazen street harlot?" Daphne offered helpfully as her cheeks heated into an embarrassed blush. "The law that married us also stated that I had to provide you an heir within the first year," Daphne explained. "I didn't see a reason for waiting. I had one of the elves fetch me a potion to ensure that any child conceived would be a boy."

Harry gently kissed the crown of Daphne's head, certain she was probably feeling rather embarrassed at the moment. "Did you bother to read the directions on the potion or did you just drink it down?"

"I drank it," Daphne replied in a slightly puzzled tone. Like most in the Wizarding world, they trusted the house elves to do exactly as they were told. There was no doubt in her mind that the elf had brought her the correct potion. "Why would I need to read the directions?"

Harry couldn't help but chuckle. "If you had read the directions you would have seen the warning. The potion contains a mild lust charm."

"What?" Daphne exclaimed, sitting up in bed and turning to face the wizard with her.

"You would have also read that the potion you had contained not just one but rather three doses in it," Harry went on to tell her what he had read from the back of the bottle. "My guess is that your actions were not your own when combined with the bottle of wine you had drunk and the three doses of that potion."

"Why ever would they put a lust potion into something like that?" Daphne inquired aloud, more to herself than to Harry. _No need to tell him that was the third bottle of wine_.

"If I had to guess I would say that any number of women might get cold feet when it came time to do the deed," Harry offered only to see a confused look on Daphne's face.

"Why would their feet be cold at such a time? Is that normal?" the curious witch asked.

"How would I know?" Harry answered before waving away Daphne's question. "I mean they might get scared and decide not to go through with it. A little lust potion would probably ensure that a child was conceived."

"So it wasn't all me?" Daphne voiced her concerns, sounding more than a little disappointed to discover that she had been under the influence of a lust potion. "But I really wanted you, Harry."

"As flattering as that is, Daphne, it was probably just the potion's effect on you," Harry said. "You were slightly on the aggressive side," he added. Though Harry would never admit it, he had actually rather enjoyed Daphne's ' _assertiveness_.' The young wizard could only hope that the witch was the same without a potion or wine in her.

"You know you're taking this whole heir thing far better than I would expect a male of your age to," Daphne said.

"After my life, I've learned to just sort of roll with things," Harry told her with a grin she couldn't see. "Even the occasional aggressive witch," he teased.

"Quiet you," Daphne mockingly scolded him before the settle into a comfortable silence for several long moments. "Do I seem alright now, Harry?" enquired Daphne.

"Back to your regular self," Harry replied with a nod of his head.

"I still want you though," Daphne inform the man with her as she tossed off the covers, straddled his legs, and planted herself within Harry's lap. "Show me that you want me, Harry," Daphne said in a soft and begging tone as she captured his lips with her own.

Not one to say no to a lovely witch, Harry returned the kiss with a desire that rather startled him. Feeling his body responding to the witch in his lap, Harry broke their kiss, causing them both to gasp and suck in large quantities of much-needed air. "I think I better go," Harry managed to get out.

"Don't you want me?" Daphne asked, a pretty little pout upon her features.

"If you only knew," Harry growled as the blonde witch squirmed in his lap and rubbed up against him. _How can she doubt if I want her when she can clearly feel that poking her?_ He wondered. The fact that Daphne was dressed only in her nightgown made it all too easy for his hands to wander into areas that teenage boys constantly dream of.

Daphne's breathing quicken as Harry's hand slid under her gown and slowly crept upwards along her body. Feeling Harry very prominent desire for her poking her bum, the young witch began to rock back and forth, riding the wizard beneath her. Apparently, it was the correct thing to do as Harry's hand shot upwards and began to deliciously fondle her chest. "Yes…," Daphne breathed out in appreciation as she leaned forward and once again attacked Harry's lips with her own.

It was rapidly becoming difficult to think for Harry. There was only so much a man could withstand after all before he would be forced to just give into his basest desires. Harry tore his lips from Daphne after several long and enjoyable minutes of snogging. "Merlin, but I can't believe I'm the one saying this," he growled aloud. "Daphne, we should stop."

"What? Why?" a confused Daphne asked. She had been rather enjoying Harry's hand upon her chest and how his thumb and forefinger had teased her into erect hardness. "Don't you want me, Harry?"

"I do, but not like this," Harry said with a supreme effort of will, slipping his hand from the soft goodness of Daphne's chest. "Are you doing this because you want to or because of the potion? I can't help but feel that you're afraid something will happen tomorrow with your father."

Daphne opened her mouth to refute Harry accusation but found that she couldn't with an absolute certainty. She was in fact worried about what would happen tomorrow with her father. There was a lot riding on it after all, and the outcome of the meeting would not only impact her and Harry but also Astoria. Still, the spreading warmth in her nether regions was a clear indication of just how much she truly wanted Harry. _Is it me or the potion though?_

It was a very confused witch that slumped dejectedly before tumbling to lay on the bed beside Harry. "I can't even think straight at the moment," Daphne finally confessed as Harry's arms slipped around her and pulled her in close. "I truly love you, and I do want you, Harry. I'm just so confused right now!"

"Shh," Harry hushed her, once more gently kissing the crown of her head. "It's alright, Daphne. I want you too," Harry assured her, feeling it was important she know that fact. "But not like this. I want it to be when we're both ready and have decided to take this step together without the benefit of a potion or wine deciding for us."

"We've only got three months," Daphne whined. "Even less now."

"Then we have plenty of time," Harry told her. "I would rather wait and make it something memorable that we chose rather than something that was forced upon us by some potion."

"But we need the potion to ensure it is a boy," Daphne pointed out.

"When we decide it is time you can take the potion then but only after we've decided," Harry conceded, hating the law that had forced the two of them into this marriage that required an heir within the first year. _I'll be damned if I am snapping her wand and sending her back to her parents!_

"You really are too perfect, Harry Potter," Daphne said as she slipped her arms around Harry and snuggled in. Several long minutes had passed before the witch spoke again. "Despite everything that's happened, Harry. I'm glad it was you that father married me too. I truly do love you."

"I love you too, Daphne," Harry replied with a warm smile realizing that Daphne was now the third witch to say that she loved him. _I still can't believe Hermione told me she is in love with me_ , Harry thought as he lay there holding his wife and pondering his life of late. His thoughts turned to Luna as they often did when he was with Daphne. _I need to tell her. She deserves to know. Why ruin the moment_? A small voice in the back of his head asked.

Minutes slipped by as Harry wrestled with the decision within his head. "Daphne," Harry finally said, gathering his vaunted Gryffindor courage. "There's something I need to tell you." His words were met by silence. "Daphne?" The only answer was the soft, gentle breathing of the slumbering witch in his arms.

**-oOo-**

Daphne awoke to the smell of breakfast. As she opened her eyes, she smiled, seeing Harry standing there with a tray in hand. "What's this all about?" she enquired. The young woman had awakened in the middle of the night only to find herself snuggled into Harry's side. Rather than be scared or suspicious of the fact she found that she rather enjoyed the thought of Harry spending the night with her.

"Well, I know you have a busy morning planned, so I thought I would bring you a bit of breakfast in bed," Harry replied as he waited for the witch to prop herself up on pillows so that he could set the tray down. "Nothing too fancy. Winky doesn't like when I borrow her kitchen from her," he added with a small chuckle.

"You cooked it yourself?" Daphne asked in disbelief as Harry set the tray before her laden with a hearty traditional breakfast. "It looks delicious," she told him, setting the linen napkin in place and reaching for a fork to sample the food that smelled wonderful. _A girl could really get used to this_ , she thought with the first savory bite.

"Never let it be said that I don't know my way around a kitchen," Harry responded with a touch of pride in his voice. The young wizard took a seat in a chair that was near the bed, and the two of them spoke about a great deal of nothing as Daphne ate. Both were avoiding the issue of her confronting Gerald Greengrass and just what might happen.

It wasn't long before Daphne shewed Harry from the room so she could get ready. While tempting to have the young man stay, Daphne thought that might be too great a pleasant distraction for the both of them. In due course, Daphne made her way downstairs dressed in traditional witch's robes carrying a small black purse with the Black Family coat of arms embroidered upon it. "How do I look?" Daphne asked upon seeing Harry waiting for her near the fireplace.

"Stunning, as always," Harry assured her. "You sure you don't want me to come with?" Now that the time was here, Harry found he was having second thoughts about letting Daphne go alone. If anything were to happen to her, he would never forgive himself. "I could be the brooding husband that stands in the back and glowers at him while you tear him a new one."

"That's very sweet of you, Harry" Daphne said with a small appreciative smile, reaching up and caressing the wizard's cheek. "I'll be alright. Mister Wright will see to it. Father wouldn't try anything with a witness there," she added, hoping she was right. "I'm certain everything will be fine," Daphne stated upon seeing the concerned look on Harry's face.

"Alright," Harry relented. "But for the record, I don't like it." Harry stepped forward and hugged Daphne, giving her a gentle kiss on the lips. "Don't forget we have a lunch date, Missus Black."

Daphne blushed, genuinely touched by how caring Harry was being. "I will, Mister Black," she replied with a radiant smile that was only partially forced. Taking a pinch of floo powder, she tossed it into the fireplace and was gone in a flash of green flames only to emerge in the offices of Wilburn, Wright, and Pinkerton.

"Good morning Miss Greengrass," Daniel Wright offered, having heard the floo activate and come to greet his client. "I trust you are well?" he asked as the witch brushed ashes from her clothes with a flick of her wand.

"As well as one can expect, all things considered," Daphne assured him. Without Harry there beside her Daphne was starting to get nervous. _It's one thing to tell Harry everything will be alright and entirely another thing to believe it will be._ "Is everything in place?" Daphne enquired, mostly to distract herself and keep her mind from running off into areas she'd rather it didn't, such what her father could possibly do.

"As requested," Mister Wright assured her, offering what he hoped was a supportive smile. "Whenever you're ready, Miss Greengrass."

"I think it would be best to refer to me as Missus Black for this visit," Daphne stated, feeling that as the Black family was an ancient and noble one, the name carried more weight. Taking a pinch of floo powder, Daphne tossed it into the fireplace she had just emerged from not all that long ago. A short time later the two emerged into the greeting hall of Greengrass Manor.

The young witch set off with a determined stride, believing she knew precisely where her father would be at this time. It wasn't long before Daphne was walking down the long hallway where the portraits of her dead ancestors hung. Well, at least the male ones. The doors to her father's study were open indicating that he wasn't entertaining company at the moment. "Good morning, Father," Daphne stated politely as she swept through the large doorway.

"Daphne," Gerald Greengrass replied from his seat at his desk where he had apparently been enjoying a cup of tea while reading the morning edition of the Prophet. The head of the Greengrass family arched a brow upon seeing Daniel Wright enter behind his daughter.

"This is Daniel Wright, my solicitor," Daphne stated, introducing the wizard with her to her father as was polite. "Mister Wright is here to only observe."

"Of Wilburn, Wright, and Pinkerton," stated Gerald as he gave a polite nod towards the solicitor. "To what do I owe the pleasure of your company, Daphne?"

"Actually that would be Lady Black as we are here in a rather official capacity today," Daphne replied. The Blacks were one of the few Houses that actually carried a title of nobility. While a great many Houses were ancient, not many could claim the moniker of Noble as well. The House of Black outranked the House of Greengrass not only in gold and prestige but in the fact that it had a noble title that Gerald Greengrass would love to hold. _I could claim the title of Marchioness if I wanted_ , Daphne recalled, having been rather surprised by that fact.

Daphne's father just regarded her calmly and waited for her to continue. The fact that her father seemed unconcerned set the butterflies to doing acrobatic backflips and summersaults in the young witch's stomach. "I'm here to give you want you wanted. A means by which to make the Black family gold available to the Greengrass Head of House. That is what you wanted, was it not?"

"If you say so," Gerald replied calmly. The wizard was not about to admit to telling Daphne that very thing, at least not when there was a witness there to hear it. The intelligent man was taking a wait and see approach. _Better to see just what she wants before crushing her_ , Gerald thought to himself smugly.

"I can only assume that was your intention when you tricked Harry Potter into marrying me," Daphne continued with as she strolled along the bookcase along one wall, apparently browsing the titles found there. In actuality, her nerves were getting the best of her, and she just couldn't stand there and look at her father any longer. "Using the purchase of my wand to seal the deal. Well played," Daphne said in a complimentary tone.

"Thank you," Gerald answered in that insufferably calm tone that said he was still in control of the situation. "If you could please get to your point I would greatly appreciate it, Lady Black. Unlike some," he said with a small smirk aimed at his daughter, "I actually have work to do and would like to return to it."

"Very well then," Daphne said, turning from the bookcase and making her way directly to her father's desk. "I brought you something to read," she stated as she pulled forth a piece of rolled parchment and set it on the desk before her father. "I'm sure you'll find it all rather entertaining."

Gerald Greengrass eyed the parchment for a long moment before picking it up and unrolling it. As the man's eyes traversed the words there, the expression on his face did not change at all. Once done Gerald casually tossed the parchment back onto the desktop. "That is an excellent bit of fiction you have there, Lady Black. Too bad you have no proof to support it."

"That's the beauty of fiction, Mister Greengrass, one does not require proof for the masses to believe it," Daphne said with a feral grin. "I may not be able to get the charges for line theft to stick but that isn't really the point, is it?" Daphne asked rhetorically. "Currently there are two other copies of that story. One resides with a man who is at this moment seated in the lobby of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement."

Gerald realized that this wouldn't be as easy as he had first thought. _Apparently, Daphne has given this a great deal of thought_ , he acknowledged begrudgingly. Both impressed and frustrated by his daughter's actions. The crafty businessman quickly rethought his first plan of killing them both and destroying the parchment. _I can send our elf to capture whoever has the story. While difficult, it certainly wouldn't be the first time someone died within the ministry_.

"The second copy is with an acquaintance who is at this very moment seated within a conference room in Gringotts. For a rather hefty sum the Goblins have agreed to see to his safety," Daphne explained, much to the chagrin of her father. "If both of them do not see us healthy and whole within the next hour they will take the story to the press."

While Gerald knew that the man in the Department of Magical Law Enforcement was a doable kill. _Why else would I have Aurors on my payroll if not for circumstance just like this after all?_ The real issue was the one in Gringotts, making that one untouchable. If the Goblins had taken the job to protect the man they would die before allowing harm to come to him. _I'm confident I can stop anything the Prophet will try and publish though_ , the wizard thought, feeling as if he was still in control.

Seeing the sly look on her father's face Daphne hastened to burst his bubble. "I have little doubt that you have connections within the Daily Prophet. Which is why one of those men will be paying a visit to Le Monde Magique in Paris, and the other will provide his copy of the document to The Magical Times in New York. I think even you will have trouble stopping them both, father."

"Again, what care I if you print your little work of fiction or not," Gerald enquired, though his frustration at being outplayed slipped into his tone despite his best efforts.

"Why indeed?" Daphne asked as she turned away from the desk and sat in one of the chairs that were situated before it. The fact was that despite her outward appearance she was so scared that she feared her legs wouldn't support her any longer. "If anything you should know that people don't want the truth, Father. They'll believe anything they read in a rag such as the Prophet after all. Once the story gets out other news outlets will pick it up and carry it. It's hard to keep a good story down after all. Before long the entire Wizarding world will read of what you've done."

"People will see that I was a caring father who looked out after his daughter's best interest," Gerald countered with, though his words were lacking their customary certainty.

"That might be true," Daphne conceded with an amused chuckle, "If you had done it to anyone other than Harry Potter. My Harry is not just the hero of Britain. He's the hero of the entire Wizarding World. How do you think everyone will take the fact that you tricked their hero to advance your own business and standing?"

"I'll tell you what will happen. The Greengrass name will become worthless. Your business contracts will dry up or be dropped quicker than a Goblin will grab at free gold. You will soon find yourself alone and shunned by everyone," Daphne explained. "When that story is published along with Harry's endorsement that he knew nothing of the arrangement you'll be finished."

Public opinion was a fickle thing, Gerald knew. He'd spent enough time manipulating it to suit himself to know just how true that was. The image Daphne was painting was all too real for his liking. There really wasn't much that he could do at the moment. "So what do you propose then?"

"Here is how this will play out," Daphne replied, slipping another piece of parchment from her purse. "You will designate Harry as the Greengrass heir and then abdicate as Head of House stepping down and into retirement. You can think of it as a late wedding present to Harry and me if it will help you sleep at night. You and mother can live here of course," the young witch said as she got to her feet. "There will even be a stipend so that you may both continue to live out your days here in the manner to which you are accustomed."

"And if I refuse?" Gerald asked as he read over the document which would make Harry Potter the Head of the Greengrass family and owner of everything he had worked so hard to achieve.

"You can take your chances with the masses," Daphne replied. "I think we both know just how that will go though." In the end, Gerald signed just as Daphne knew he would. _It's better to be a minor part of a wealthy House than a part of a poor one_ , she reasoned. Gerald quickly pulled forth his wand and swore the same oath that Benjamin Davis had sworn to Harry, relinquishing his position as Head of the Greengrass family.

Daphne, knowing nothing of what transpired with the Davis Head of House, had just thought it the best way to free Astoria from the marriage contract their father had agreed to. Apparently, great minds do occasionally think alike. By including the threat of line theft, she had added some additional weight to the plot. Even the old pure-bloods believed line theft to be the lowest of crimes. If they allowed it to happen to someone else, it could happen to them after all.

Daphne collected the signed parchment making Harry the heir to the Greengrass family and walked it over to Mister Wright who had remained silent during the entire exchange. "I must say, your education at Hogwarts certainly seems to have been entirely thorough. I'm glad to see that you're a true Slytherin," came Gerald voice from behind Daphne.

"Why father, I'm rather surprised. I would have thought a man of your caliber would have known this wasn't taught at Hogwarts," Daphne replied, turning to look at her father over her shoulder. "I learned everything I needed to do this by merely watching you." Turning about once more Daphne hastily left the study and made her way to the floo with Daniel Wright in tow behind her. The young woman couldn't be gone from the premises fast enough for her liking.

"That went rather well," Mister Wright commented once they had stepped from the floo into the offices of Wilburn, Wright, and Pinkerton.

"You think so?" Daphne enquired as Mister Wilburn, and Mister Pinkerton stepped from Daniel's office to greet them. The young witch, as an added layer of precaution, had lied to her father as to the whereabouts of the men. It was the other two solicitors who actually had possession of the copies of the story. "I'm certain there will be repercussions once father has had time to think things through and formulate a plan."

Daphne thanked the gentlemen for their time and effort. The three copies of the story Daphne had written were tossed into the fire to be hungrily consumed by the flames. "Now, if you gentlemen will excuse me, I have a lunch date with my husband." After exchanging farewells, Daphne stepped into the floo headed for home and Harry.

**-oOo-**

Harry looked down at his hand as the Greengrass Head of House ring appeared. Holding his hands up before him the young wizard wiggled his fingers allowing the other Head of House rings to appear. The Black and Lovegood rings were on his left hand, ring finger and middle finger respectively. The Davis, Potter and now Greengrass rings sat heavily upon his right hand. "I either need more fingers or fewer rings," he said aloud before dismissing them all back to being invisible. "Something to ponder another day," he added as he stood and made his way to the fireplace to welcome his wife.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well, there you have it. I know it wasn't perhaps what some of you wanted to see happen to Daphne's father. Far too tame for you lot. I thought it was rather fitting though. To a man who has worked his entire life to amass his fortune, fame and the prestige of his family name, to take it all away from him is the best way to hurt him the most. The fact that Daphne learned how to be so Slytherin from Gerald himself was just the icing on the cake as I saw it. Let me know if you liked it or not.
> 
> As always, your reviews are not required, but they are greatly appreciated.
> 
> Kind Regards,
> 
> EJ Daniels
> 
> All characters within this story, unless otherwise stated are the sole property of J. K. Rowling the original writer of the Harry Potter series.


	24. The Boy Who Married

**Chapter 24 – The Boy Who Married  
. . .**

_Say it isn't so! I know my dear readers that must be what you are saying to yourself at this very moment. I can exclusively confirm that it is the very truth. The Boy Who Lived is now officially off the most eligible wizard's list. How did this happen? When did this happen? Who has managed to snag the number one hottie on Witch Weekly Most Scrumptious list you may ask? This columnist wanted to know as well and did some checking into the matter._

_It would seem that there are broken hearts all across our great country today, perhaps none more so than the witch I reported on back in Harry Potter's fourth year at Hogwarts. It was clear then to this reporter that Harry Potter's close muggle-born friend, Hermione Granger, was well smitten with our young hero! One cannot fault her for her taste in wizards, even though they are a bit out of reach for the rather plain witch._

_A fellow classmate of theirs confided in me that the pair had dated all through their time at school as well as during the war. If not for the fact that Miss Granger became overly bossy and know-it-all when she made Prefect they might still be together, I was told. I can only imagine the heartache Miss Granger is currently experiencing at having lost the love of her life. Apparently, she did not let it get her down as she is now Head Girl at Hogwarts, where she can boss all the students about._

_During my extensive research, I discovered that Harry Potter has a rather long and sordid history of breaking witches' hearts. Our hero had accompanied Parvati Patil, a pretty enough witch of foreign descent, to a Yule Ball only to ignore her for the duration of the evening. Then there was Miss Cho Chang, the late girlfriend of Hogwarts Tri-Wizard Champion Cedric Diggory, who Mister Potter left in the middle of their date. The poor witch was forced to find her own way home as her escort never returned for Miss Chang._

_The latest conquest of our hero was one Miss Ginevra Weasley, recently signed as a second string chaser for the Holyhead Harpies. The young Miss Weasley was strung along for some time it seems. Perhaps she was not ready to give up the goods as easily as the others? It is confirmed that Mister Potter proposed to her, gifting her with an enormous engagement ring. Shortly after that, the two separated. I guess every witch has her price. Is it any wonder Miss Weasley found comfort in the arms of her teammates? It wouldn't be the first time a witch flew on the other side of a broom due to a broken heart._

_Then who, you may ask, finally managed to land the hero of the wizarding world? The answer is perhaps more scandalous than Mister Potter's exploits to date combined. Our hero has married a fellow classmate which leads one to wonder just how long has their relationship been going on? Perhaps the two of them enjoyed a long and beneficial relationship from their early days at Hogwarts. Were the previous witches in Mister Potter's life little more than a subterfuge to hide an illicit love affair?_

_I am confident that, like me, you may be asking yourself how could something of this sordid nature happen within the hallowed walls of Hogwarts. Was it perhaps because a certain deceased Headmaster knew of their torrid relations and had decided to look the other way? Were word of their relationship to be discovered the very Founders of Hogwarts would be tossing in their graves._

_Harry Potter, Gryffindor's Golden Boy, was finally landed by a pure-blood Slytherin, Daphne Greengrass, daughter to Gerald Greengrass of Greengrass Mercantile. Yes, my devoted readers, it would appear as though the centuries of animosity between the two houses at Hogwarts has finally been put to rest with this union. Perhaps that is what Albus Dumbledore planned all along? The late Headmaster was well known for his schemes and plots. See my book, 'The Life and Lies of Albus Dumbledore' for details._

_A source close to the new husband and wife informed me that the wedding was small with only the crème da la crème being invited. If you weren't there, then you didn't matter. In an apparent effort to appease the Wizarding World the couple was married under the name of Black rather than Potter, a house known for its penchant for marrying Muggle-born witches. The latest having been Lily Evans who enticed James Potter with her wiles. One can only hope that Mister Potter will be able to live up to the name of Black, a family well known to adhere to our traditions and values._

_The young couple apparently celebrated and danced the night away before retiring for the evening. It was apparent, my source told me, that they were in a hurry to consummate their marriage. 'It was as if they already knew what awaited them.' My source confided in me. One has to wonder if there will be a Black heir born sooner than nine months or not. It wouldn't be the first time a wizard had sampled the goods before buying them._

_So just how did Lady Black manage to capture and retain our Hero's attention all these many years? Will she be able to keep her wizard's eyes on her? We can only hope. While we are excited concerning their nuptials and wish them the best of luck in the future, we cannot help but wonder what about all the questions my investigation has raised. Rest assured my readers, I will not rest till I have answers for you!_

Harry tossed the copy of the Daily Prophet onto the table top. The witches arrayed around the breakfast table eyed the wizard with concern. "I see Skeeter hasn't lost her flair for writing rubbish. Why let something as minuscule as the facts get in the way of sensationalism," Harry commented is disgust.

"I should have squashed that bug when I had the chance," Hermione growled from her place to the left of Harry. The young witch's cheeks bore a slight tinge of pink as Rita's remarks were surprisingly not that far off for once in regards to herself. _I wish I had realized things back in fourth year_ , Hermione told herself. _I wonder how things would have turned out? Would it be me Harry would be married to now?_ Hermione's return to Westfield had barely caused a ripple, a fact that confused Harry to no end. _It's almost as if everyone else expected it._

"In one article she's managed to paint Harry as a womanizer-," Daphne started to say.

"Can't imagine where she got that idea," Tracey coughed with a pointed look about the table and all the witches seated there.

"-and made it appear that we snubbed the entire wizarding world by not inviting them to the wedding," Daphne continued with, pointedly ignoring Tracey's comment. "I apparently have used my Slytherin ways and seduced Harry and am already pregnant and expecting a baby who was cause for the wedding."

"Don't forget about all the young witches with broken hearts," Luna provided helpfully. "They were all just so certain that our Harry would swoop down and whisk them away to marry them and make them the next Missus Potter. You're so evil for stealing him away from them, Daphne," she added with a cheerful grin. "Whoever shall they drool over now?"

"I thought the suggestion that Harry would carry on in the Black family tradition and go dark was rather well done," Andi offered from the other end of the table. "Sadly I think subtle implications of that nature will be entirely missed by the majority of the wizarding world though. They just aren't smart enough to understand it."

"So none of it is true?" Astoria enquired in a slightly disappointed tone?

"Sorry to burst your bubble, Tori, as I know how much you love to read those trashy romance novels, but there hasn't been some secretive affair between Harry and me," Daphne replied to her younger sister.

"I don't think Daphne, and I even spoke to each other our entire time at Hogwarts," Harry commented, confirming his wife's words. "Rita Skeeter, on the other hand, I have talked to far more times than I would have cared to."

"Apparently not enough to encourage her to leave you alone, Harry," Tracey said.

"Apparently," Harry agreed, before turning to regard Hermione. "We could always do _that_."

"I think we may have to," Hermione said, drawing several curious looks from around the table. "Skeeter is an unregistered Animagus. Back during the war, we managed to capture her in her beetle form and forced her to be a bit more truthful in her reporting. Part of her being released was an agreement that she wouldn't tell lies concerning Harry."

"A fact she seems to have conveniently forgotten," Harry quipped.

"But how did she even know about the marriage?" Daphne asked. "We didn't announce it or anything." Harry thought he might know who was to blame.

"There are any number of ways that could happen," Luna stated with Andi nodding in agreement. "Gringotts would have to track such matters if only to know who can access a vault and who cannot. Perhaps someone who knew was not quiet about it?" the bright witch suggested, giving Harry a slight nod as if reading his thoughts which were then voiced by Astoria.

Astoria looked at Daphne, "Father," the younger Greengrass daughter stated.

"It would be something he might do," Daphne conceded in a thoughtful tone. "The story is slanted to make us look bad which would certainly improve his chances at swinging public opinion in his favor. The question is, what do we want to do about it?" she voiced, looking at Harry.

"Nothing," Harry replied after a moment's thought. "It's not like we were trying to hide the fact after all," he clarified. "You're not actually pregnant as we've done nothing," the wizard added with a slight blush. "When there is no baby in nine months that part of her story will be debunked."

"Sooner than that," Andi corrected him. "When Daphne doesn't start to show, people will realize that Rita was just coloring her stories with her own unique flavor of the truth once again. You'd think the masses would have learned not to believe a word she prints after all this time."

"But I do have to get pregnant," Daphne pointed out, a hint of fear in her tone as she realized that if she did get pregnant now, it would more or less confirm Skeeter's story.

"But not right away," Harry replied, reaching out and taking Daphne's hand in his to reassure her. "It will be alright, Daphne. This isn't the first time Skeeter has tried to smear my name in the Prophet after all. We'll just weather the storm for now. All of us," he added as his gaze swept around the table. "Mary should be returning tonight, so that means classes for you lot tomorrow," he reminded them, receiving a chorus of groans for his efforts.

The matter apparently settled for the time being the group returned to eating their breakfast. Talk around the table was about small inconsequential things that fill the minutes but really amount to nothing. Daphne and Harry had already gathered everyone together after their lunch date and had informed them what had transpired with Daphne's father. It would soon be public knowledge, and they both wanted the others to hear it from them rather than read about it in the paper.

When the meal was over Harry stood and left the room heading for his study and the ever expanding pile of paperwork awaiting him. _I thought I hired others to handle this stuff_ , the wizard grumbled to himself upon taking his seat behind his desk. In truth he had, but it seemed that hiring others also increased the amount of paperwork as there was now payroll and any number of other matters to be dealt with. Hearing a knock upon the open door, Harry looked up to see who was there.

"I'm not interrupting am I?" Tracey asked hesitantly, eyeing the stack of papers on the desk before Harry.

"Not at all," Harry told her, hastily sweeping the papers aside. _Paperwork or talk with a beautiful witch? There's a difficult choice._ "What can I do for you, Tracey? Is everything alright? I'm sorry I really haven't had much chance to spend time with you since you returned."

"I'm all right," Tracey replied from the doorway. "It's not like you're obligated to spend time with me after all," she stated harshly, wishing she could take the words back as soon as they left her mouth. _Why do I always do that?_ She scolded herself. "I was wondering if I could talk to you about my parents?" the nervous witch enquired.

Harry cringed at the witch's words but realized that it was just Tracey, who often said things she regretted. _I guess it is just part of her charm_ , he mused before focusing on the matter at hand. _I should have seen this coming_ , Harry chastised himself. "Sure," Harry answered, gesturing for her to come in. Harry waited till Tracey was seated in a chair before his desk with the door closed and sealed before asking, "What would you like to know?"

The young witch played with the bottom edge of her shirt in her lap, her eyes downcast so she wouldn't have to look at the wizard before her. "How did you come into possession of Divine Dresses by Davis, Harry?" she finally asked. While she was thrilled to have ownership of the business she was fairly sure that her mum would have died before relinquishing control. _It wouldn't surprise me if I had to pry the deed from her cold hand even after she was in the ground._

_How do I answer that?_ There were two possible answers as Harry saw it. One would cause the witch before him pain while the other would be close enough to the truth to be believed and yet not hurt Tracey. "It was a business transaction," Harry told her, going with option two. "Your parents approached me with a request for a loan. I was able to work out an arrangement with your father that was beneficial for the both of us."

"How much did they ask for?" Tracy asked curiously. The young woman had never really paid much attention to the financial side of the business, being more interested in design, but her family lived as if they were not hurting for galleons. Trying their best to appear as pure-bloods, it would have hurt her mother's pride to have to ask for a loan. _Things must have been pretty bad for that to happen._

"It doesn't matter," Harry told her dismissively. "My business manager looked into the business and determined it wasn't a good risk."

"Why not?" Tracey inquired, surprised by the fact that Divine Dresses wouldn't be worth investing in. Growing up she had been forced to listen to her mother go on and on about how wonderful business was and how wealthy the Davis family was. _There appeared to be a number of things I was not made aware of._

"There was a loan that was called in," Harry explained trying to recall all the details as it had been several months ago. The amount of the loan your parents requested wouldn't have paid the loan off, only bought them time. The Davises were not favorable to offering part ownership at that time either. My business advisor felt that with the limited clientele the business had that it was a bad investment."

Seeing the questioning look on Tracey's face, Harry explained. "The store caters to the wealthy. After the war, there are far fewer of them than there used to be. Many of the regular customers are now either dead or enjoying a rather long stint in Azkaban due to supporting Voldemort. Not many can afford the costly materials that go into a dress made by Divine Dresses. It was explained to me that it seriously limits the store's potential income."

"So they couldn't pay the loan or generate the income from the store to do so," Tracey said, repeating what Harry had told her to make certain she understood it. "If they weren't willing to offer you a partnership then what did they provide as collateral for the loan?" Tracey knew that a partnership couldn't be offered as only a Davis could own the store. It was written into the Deed of Ownership that way.

"It doesn't matter," Harry answered, dismissing her question once again, "As we didn't go that route after all. I was able to work with your father and come to an arrangement that was amicable for everyone involved…more or less."

"Which was?" Tracey pressed. The fact that Harry said the deal was with her father spoke volumes to the witch.

Harry sighed, seeing no way around it. _It's not like she isn't going to find out anyway_ , he reasoned. "Your father designated me as his heir and then abdicated his Head of House position making me the head of the Davis House," Harry confessed as he held up his right hand and allowed the Davis Head of House ring to appear. The young wizard held his breath, expecting Tracey to explode.

Tracey stared at the ring for a long moment before slowly beginning to shake her head back and forth. "I don't buy it," she told Harry. "There is no way my mum would give up not only Divine Dresses but the Matriarch position within the family as well. She'd sell me off in marriage to someone wealthy before doing something like that," Tracey said only to see Harry flinch at her words.

The pieces all started to fall into place for the intelligent Slytherin witch. "That's what she did, isn't it? She tried to use me as collateral for the loan?" Tracey asked Harry. "Or did she just offer to sell me to you outright?"

"It's not like that, Tracey," Harry quickly replied as his mind raced for a way to not make it look as if Tracey's mother had done exactly what Tracey thought her capable of. "The Gnomes had called in the loan that your family has been paying on for generations. Your parents sold everything they had in an attempt to keep from having to make the offer they did to me," Harry told Tracey. While selling things came after the fact, it was a technicality Harry chose to overlook at the moment.

"But you didn't take the offer did you?" Tracey asked rhetorically, her eyes dropping to her lap. "You didn't want to marry me. I wasn't good enough to cover the cost of the business," she added, picking at some skin on her finger absently.

Harry was out of his seat in a second and made his way around the desk only to kneel before the distraught witch, taking her hands in his own. "It's not like that at all Tracey. You are worth far more than any business. More than all of them combined," Harry told her. "The thought of essentially buying you made me sick! I couldn't believe that your mum was offering you in such a manner."

"Aren't I worth marrying, Harry?" Tracey asked with a sad little sniffle. Truth be told it was more the fact that her mum had wanted to sell her just to keep the family business afloat that hurt. While she had always suspected that her mother didn't love her, nothing said it clearer than to be sold off like a spare broom. "I know I'm damaged goods."

Deep down she knew that Harry didn't think of her that way. While her mum had always made her feel worthless, Harry had more than once made her feel special. Still, it was difficult for the confused witch to think clearly and she needed to hear it from Harry himself. _If I will be with Daphne and Harry, then I want it to be because Harry wants me there and not because he's doing it for Daphne._ "Don't you want me?"

Harry reached up and cupped the crying witch's cheek with one hand, his thumb wiping at the tears that had started to trickle down Tracey's cheek. "How could I not want to be with you, Tracey?" Harry asked with a small smile. "You're a wonderful woman. One any wizard would be thankful to have," he assured her. "Someday you're going to find the right someone, and I have little doubt that I will be a bit sad that it isn't me."

"What about Daphne?" Tracey asked with a rather loud sniffle.

"I love Daphne. Truly I do. I plan on doing everything I can to see that she is happy for the rest of her life," Harry replied. "That doesn't mean that I can't want the same for you though," Harry added, sincerely wanting Tracey to be happy with Daphne for however long they remained together. The fact that they were two girls was rather arousing, and Harry was certain it would be the subject of future, not so dry, dreams. _I also promised Mister Davis I would do everything I could to see to it that Tracey was happy._

_He wants to make me happy for the rest of my life as well?_ Tracey couldn't believe her own ears. _Does this mean that he loves me?_ A small smile appeared on Tracey's face as she felt butterflies stir in her stomach and her breath hitched at Harry's admission. _I'll be able to be with both Daphne and Harry!_ _But does he love me? Well, there is one way to tell_ , she reasoned. _The girls at school said you can always tell how a man feels about you this way._

Harry leaned a bit forward in an attempt to see around Tracey's dangling bangs. The young wizard saw the barest hint of a smile appear on the witch's lips and breathed a silent sigh of relief, believing the crisis averted, at least for the time being. Harry was understandably surprised then when Tracey's lips captured his in a heated kiss. Startled, the wizard tried to open his mouth to say something only to have it filled with the witch's tongue.

Tracey feared she had made a mistake as Harry's body went rigid but when he opened his lips and welcomed her probing tongue she deepened the kiss. Feeling the man's arms eventually encircle her and pull her in close was the final confirmation she needed as the wizard's tongue wrestled with hers. _He does love me!_ Her voice screamed in her head. _Wait till I tell Daphne_ , she thought, certain that the three of them would now work out just fine.

Harry froze as Tracey deepened the kiss but then slipped his arms around the witch and pulled her in close, returning the kiss. Never let it be said the young man ever turned down a kiss from a beautiful witch. Harry was in no hurry to reside in a small room at St. Mungo's after all. _Damn I shouldn't be doing this_ , he told himself, but his mind couldn't help but wonder about the possibilities ahead of him with Tracey and Daphne.

_Bloody hell! I'm kissing Tracey!_ The thought suddenly cut through the enjoyable hormonal fog that had descended upon the young man's brain. With it came the realization that this was the witch that had almost been raped by Gregory Goyle. _Maybe I should stop? But if I stop she'll think I don't want her_ , Harry's thoughts warred with himself as his body went on autopilot and continued to kiss the witch with him who had now slipped from the chair to kneel on the floor with him.

_If I break this off now what will Tracey think? The first bloke she tries to kiss rejects her._ No matter how he looked at it, Harry was certain that wouldn't be good for the witch's self-esteem. _But if you keep this up won't she think you care about her?_ A voice that sounded suspiciously like Hermione's asked in his head. _But I do care about her_ , he pointed out, a little shocked by how easily that admission came to mind. _Is there any wonder why I drink so much?_ He groaned at the complication that was his life.

Encouraged by the soft moan Harry let slip, the witch became bolder. It was the fact that Tracey's hands started to wander in a southerly direction which eventually caused Harry to break their enjoyable snog. "Wait, Tracey. We can't do this," the flustered wizard stated, leaning back from the witch who automatically shifted forward in pursuit. "What about Daphne?" Harry asked, tossing one of Tracey's questions back at her in an effort to cause the witch to be reasonable.

"Daphne will understand," Tracey growled as she leaned further forward, forcing Harry to lean backward till he toppled over, taking the witch with him in the process. Far from upset by this turn of events, Tracey was rather pleased. _Very sly, Harry_ , she thought appreciatively as she lay across the prone wizard. _Though snogging on the study floor isn't exactly one of my top choices of places to do this._

The young, inexperienced witch was rather surprised at just how easy it was for her to kiss Harry. _I thought for certain that it would be hard to feel this way about any wizard_ , a small portion of her brain absently thought. Tracey had more or less given up on ever having a normal relationship with a member of the opposite gender, fearing she was too scarred from what Gregory had done to her. Harry certainly seemed to be the exception to that rule though.

The two of them were sprawled upon the floor in a tangle of arms and legs which Harry tried to extract himself from. _I'm glad someone understands_ , he thought to himself as Tracey seemed to be intent on staying on top of the wizard. The fact that the witch's chest was pressed into his own was terribly distracting. _She is bigger than Daphne_ , Harry noted absently. "Tracey, we can't do this. It isn't fair to Daphne," Harry tried once again to point out.

Tracey paused in her efforts to recapture Harry's lips with her own. "Didn't Daphne talk to you about this, Harry?" Tracey asked as she sat up in the wizard's lap. Daphne had told Tracey the night before last that she was spending time with Harry so that she could discuss their future together. _I even took Astoria with me so that the two of them could have the place alone together_ , Tracey recalled.

The wizard was quick to shake his head negatively. "We talked about her having to give me an heir, but that was it," Harry offered in rushed words only to see Tracey's face turn a beet red in color as a frighten expression appeared. "It's alright, Tracey," Harry tried to assure the witch, certain that none of this was alright. Seeing the witch in his lap begin to panic Harry quickly sat up and wrapped his arms around Tracey even as she started to cry. _Bloody hell what was Daphne supposed to tell me?_

_Daphne didn't tell him! I've ruined everything! Harry hasn't a clue about her plans for the three of us!_ "I'm sorry. I'm so sorry," Tracey began to blather, struggling to get free in her panic. "I thought…I mean Daphne…I'm so sorry!" the upset witch exclaimed as Harry rocked her back and forth, attempting to calm her down. "I was so sure that you…," the young woman's words trailed off incomplete as she was finding it difficult to hold one thought long enough to even complete a sentence.

None of what Tracey was saying made any sense to Harry, so he readily dismissed it as meaningless drivel that women do when they are upset and crying. "It's alright Tracey. If anything I should be the one apologizing for kissing you. Given what happened with…well, I shouldn't have done this," Harry added, not certain just how to mention what had happened with Goyle.

Harry's words seemed to calm Tracey a bit, and she slumped into his embrace, laying her head upon his shoulder facing away, with her arms draped around his waist. "No, I kissed you," Tracey reminded him after a few minutes. "I think it was because of what happened with Gregory that I did," she added, confusing the wizard holding her even more. "After what happened I felt as if I was tainted and that no one would ever want me again," Tracey tried to explain.

"Of course it didn't help that I hated men for the longest time afterward," Tracey admitted. "Hard for me to find someone that would want me when anytime a guy got even close to me I would panic and run away. It didn't take long for the boys at Hogwarts to learn to leave me alone. Daphne was pretty good at running them off for me as well."

"There was a part of me that was glad when my mum told me I wouldn't be returning to Hogwarts. I wouldn't have to worry about boys hitting on me or panicking if they even looked in my direction," Tracey confessed as Harry gently rubbed her back in a comforting manner, deciding to let the witch talk it out of her system. "Then Daphne writes and tells me she is living with Harry Potter."

"Daphne has never written about a wizard before," Tracey clarified just how unusual that was. "If it had been anyone else, I wouldn't have thought too much of it, but this was you after all. I mean who didn't fancy the hero of the wizarding world?"

Harry couldn't help the groan that escaped his lips upon hearing Tracey's words till a thought occurred to him. "Even you?"

"In our third year," Tracey answered with a severe blush at the admission. "I just couldn't resist that hair of yours."

"Merlin, but it was a mess back then," Harry agreed with a small chuckle.

"Well, of course, I rushed over here when Daphne asked me if I wanted to come and stay for a visit," Tracey said, continuing her thoughts from before. "I was certain you were after Daphne and were just playing her to get into her knickers."

"Not a bad pastime for a boy my age to have," Harry interjected, earning himself a slap on the back for his efforts.

"Quiet you, I'm trying to spill my guts here," Tracey chastised him though there was not anger to her words. "You were a male and hence not to be trusted. I tried very hard to hate you, Harry. You didn't deserve it, but it didn't really matter to me at the time. Everything you did I took the wrong way of course. Little by little though I found you were more the boy from third-year than the villain I had made you out to be."

"Then came Yule," Harry offered, seeing just how that must have looked from Tracey's point of view.

Tracey gave a nod of agreement. "I was so angry with you for what you had done. I was even angrier with myself for having let my guard down and trusting you. It was Greg all over again. I couldn't believe I had been so stupid once more."

"And now?" Harry prodded gently.

"It was all a lie. Everything I had thought was wrong," Tracey admitted, having spoken to Daphne as soon as the blonde witch had returned with Astoria from the Greengrass residence that day. "I'm confused. When I think I know what is going on, I'm terribly wrong. I'm honestly scared of what the future holds, Harry. I care for you, and that terrifies me to no end. I could so fall for you…if I haven't already."

"I love Daphne, and I can't imagine being separated from her. We've been together for as long as I can remember. I think part of the reason I mistrusted you was that I could see that Daphne was falling in love with you. I was a little jealous," Tracey admitted.

"A little?" Harry teased, earning himself another playful smack on the back. "I would never try and separate you two," Harry told her, certain that was part of the apprehension that Tracey was feeling. "You're a wonderful woman, Tracey. I won't lie and say I don't care for you because I do. It's all really confusing actually," the man admitted. "I'm married to Daphne and…," Harry's words stumbled a bit as he realized he had almost included Luna in that statement, "yet I care for all of you," he quickly amended.

"I have no clue as to what I am doing half the time. Like my time at Hogwarts and during the war, I'm muddling my way through it the best I can, trying desperately not to hurt any of you," Harry told her, feeling that if she was going to be open with him, then the least he could do was return the favor. "I don't have a lot of experience with women. In fact, I'm rather clueless in case you haven't noticed."

"Really?" Tracey teased back in retaliation for his earlier comment.

"I know! Hard to believe huh?" Harry quipped back playfully, finding that he rather enjoyed this side of Tracey. "I just try to do what I can to make all of you happy. Sometimes that works, and sometimes it fails, usually in a spectacular fashion such as Daphne's wand. But I do try and do the best for all of you that I can."

"Which is why all the witches here are in love with you," Tracey murmured.

Before Harry could ask just what Tracey meant by that, they were disturbed by the arrival of a large barn owl that swooped in and alighted upon the edge of Harry's desk. The bird gave a rather demanding hoot as it regarded the couple expectantly. "Perhaps I should get that," Harry said a bit awkwardly as he released the witch in his lap who promptly got off him and resumed her seat in the chair once more.

Harry climbed to his feet and turned to the owl accepting the letter attached to the animal's leg, taking his time to allow time for Tracey to wipe the tears from her cheeks. The owl, once freed of its burden, gave a reproachful hoot at how long it took and flew off without awaiting a reply. Harry walked around his desk and seated himself once more before looking at the letter in his hands. The wizard was a little startled to see that the postage was sealed with the Malfoy crest. "Sorry, business," Harry said with a smile towards Tracey.

"Speaking of business," Tracey stated. "What would you like to do concerning Divine Dresses? I've been giving it some thought and have a few ideas."

Harry set the letter aside with the seal face down. "I'm all ears," he replied, giving the witch before him his undivided attention.

"The issue you said was that there were too few people to sell to," Tracey started with. "I had been thinking that for some time. There are only so many events a year that would require a new dress after all, so our sales as they are currently are limited. We could use less expensive materials, however then our dresses would not be as desirable."

"It's a trade-off I guess," Harry agreed, not one with a head for business, especially fashion.

"What if we had more than one line of dresses though?" Tracey enquired. The thought had actually come to her while on a shopping trip with Daphne in muggle London where they had visited several different stores that were almost too large to be believed. "Rather than just cater to the elite we could also carry a less expensive line of clothing for the everyday witch. That would increase our clientele considerably. Do you think that will work?"

"I don't see why not," Harry replied with a shrug. "You can be the Harrods of the wizarding world if you want to be," Harry added jokingly.

"That's brill!" Tracey exclaimed excitedly. "Bloody hell why didn't I think of that?"

"Language, Davis," Harry quipped, playing the part of Daphne.

"Oh stuff it, Potter," Tracey fired back, clearly not remorseful in the least. "I wonder if I can sell muggle clothing?" she pondered aloud, more to herself than to Harry. "I bet if I could get my hands on a selection of muggle undergarments I wouldn't be able to count the galleons fast enough they'd be coming in so quickly," Tracey stated with a feverish gleam in her eyes.

Harry sat and watched rather amusedly as Tracey talked to herself. Occasionally he caught phrases such as color schemes, third-floor addition, and advertising. The young man cleared his throat for the third time without a response and finally rose and walked around the desk. It took him snapping his fingers several times right in front of Tracey to get her attention finally. "I hate to intrude," Harry said only partially joking, "but about what just happened," he asked, attempting to get back on topic.

"Who cares about that!" Tracey exclaimed jumping to her feet. "I have a ton of work to do and not nearly enough time to do it in!" the excited witch told him. "Harry, you were raised in the muggle world, do you know anyone in the clothing business there that could help me?"

_Sure, muggles know everyone, after all_ , he thought sarcastically but was wise enough not to say aloud. "I'll see what I can do," Harry offered, figuring it was something he could speak with his account manager about. _I need to see him about the Greengrass vaults anyway_ , he reasoned. "I'm sure we can find someone, Tracey."

"Morgana! No wonder I love you!" Tracey proclaimed before throwing her arms around the startled wizard and kissing him. Just as quickly she let him go and spun away, leaving Harry a bit dizzy and worse for wear. "I'll be at the store," Tracey hollered over her shoulder as she raced from the room.

"What just bloody happened?" Harry asked aloud to the empty room before returning to his seat and sitting. It was then that he realized Tracey had never finished explaining why she had kissed him. _Perhaps she just wanted to see if she could actually kiss a wizard after what happened to her at Hogwarts_ , Harry guessed.

The young wizard retrieved the letter from his desktop and broke the seal on it, sure no malicious mail would make it through the Westfield wards. Inside the envelope was a bit of fine parchment, clearly of the expensive kind, with a short message written on it. Reading the letter over he couldn't help but wonder what had caused this. His presence was requested for a meeting at Gringotts tomorrow morning at 10 o'clock. Apparently, a room had already been booked.

"Do people think I have nothing better to do than just sit here and await their letters for a meeting?" he wondered, recalling that Gerald Greengrass had done a similar thing. _Like I can just drop everything and rush off to Gringotts at a time that is convenient for them._ Despite his grumbling, Harry knew he would do just that which perhaps irked him more than anything.

**-oOo-**

The Goblin stared across his desk at the wizard seated before him. "Mister Potter," he acknowledged respectfully.

"Bob," Harry replied with a slight nod of his head in greeting.

"You've been busy I see," Bob offered, glancing down at the copy of the Prophet on his desk.

"A little," Harry commented evasively.

"How little?" the Potter Account Manager enquired. "Whenever you get a ' _little busy_ ' my workload seems to increase exponentially." Rather than reply Harry held up his right hand and allowed the Greengrass Head of House ring to become visible. Bob reached down and opened the bottom drawer of the desk and withdrew a folder of substantial size. The account manager closed and reopened the drawer several times but took nothing from it.

The goblin grumbled with a frown upon his face, as he wrote out a message and slipped it into a different desk drawer. In a minute there was a knock on the office door, and a young goblin entered carrying a folder. The new arrival quickly made his way to the desk and presented the folder he was carrying. "My nephew," Bob explained as he accepted the folder. "He's learning the ropes."

"I guess Bob really is your uncle," Harry quipped only to receive toothy stares from both goblins. The young wizard couldn't tell if they were grinning or angry at his humor. Then again Harry hadn't as yet been able to determine what constituted a humorous smile on a goblin.

"I had him bring me the Greengrass accounts as they were not in the system," Bob explained as he sat the folder down on his desk. "First things first," he said, sliding a parchment across towards Harry. "This will transfer control of the Greengrass accounts and vaults to my management," Bob explained.

Harry quickly signed and slid the parchment back having signed the same form before for the Black and Lovegood accounts and vaults, the Davis ones having been closed out. "Take your time to look them over and let me know where we stand with them. If there is enough gold to work with perhaps, we should invest it as you did with the Black and Lovegood gold."

"Of course," Bob acknowledged. The fact that the file hadn't been in the system did not sit well with him, but there was no need to mention that at this time. _Better first to look the accounts over and see what is there first_ , he reasoned. After reading the parchment over Bob slipped it into the Potter-Black-Lovegood-Davis and now Greengrass portfolio folder. "Is there anything else I can assist you with today?"

Harry was thoughtful for a moment when he remembered Tracey's request. "Do you know where I can get my hands on women's undergarments?"

Bob's eyes widened a bit at the wizard's request, completely surprised by it. "Mister Potter, that is not a service Gringotts has provided for nearly a hundred years I'm afraid," he finally answered. "Still, I might know an establishment or two that would meet your requirements."

Harry gave an appreciative smile only for it to slowly dip as it dawned on him what his request must have sounded like. "No, I think you misunderstood me," he tried to explain.

"It's quite alright, Mister Potter. You're young, yet so it is very natural for you to have these urges. I'm certain if I were living with several attractive young goblin females I would have similar desires as well," Bob told him.

Try as he might, Harry couldn't block the images that Bob's words brought to mind. _How do goblins even mate?_ He absently wondered and then wished he hadn't. "That is not what I meant," Harry stated with a shake of his head to clear the images from his mind. "Tracey wants to introduce a line of Muggle clothes and women's undergarments to Divine Dresses in an effort to boost sales and patronage. The only issue is that we do not know how to go about acquiring the merchandise."

"I see," Bob replied, not really sure if he was glad or disappointed by Harry's admission to not wanting to get his hands on women's unmentionables. _Perhaps he already has his hands full_ , Bob thought, recalling that Harry was now married as well as living with several witches. "Gringotts can certainly arrange that for a small fee."

Harry had quickly learned when he took over his inheritance and started working with Bob that Gringotts idea of small and his idea of small were two hugely different things. _Still, this is for Tracey. She seemed really excited to get started on the new lines_ , Harry recalled. "Please see that she has everything she needs. Open a vault for Divine Dresses as well as a new one for the Davis family, making sure Tracey has access to both. Transfer galleons from the Potter vault to the Divine Dresses vault as you need to in order to cover the costs. Place an additional twenty thousand in the Davis vault, so there will be galleons there should Tracey need to purchase personal items."

"I'll see to it today. I am assuming you do not want Miss Davis' parents to have access to the new vault?" Bob inquired only to see Harry shake his head that he didn't. "Speaking of your other vaults, now that you are married, do you want your wives to have access to all the vaults or just specific ones?" Bob asked in a non-judgmental tone.

"Wives?" Harry asked in a nervous tone. "So you know about Luna then?"

"The Heads of all Houses are known to us as the lines of succession alters with each marriage, birth or death," Bob explained. "The Goblin Nation took over the tracking of this matter as it mostly ties into who can and cannot access vaults. The Ministry was far too lazy to be bothered with something of this mundane nature, and so it fell to us."

"I see," Harry replied. "In that case, I think my wives should have equal access to everything."

Bob's respect for his client went up a bit. "Setting different access would show favoritism and show one was better than the other," he reasoned aloud, echoing the thoughts that had prompted Harry's decision in the first place. _Miserable wife, miserable life_ , Bob thought, recalling an old Goblin saying.

"My thoughts as well," Harry stated. The last thing he wanted was to imply that one wife was better than the other. _I'm certain that wouldn't go over well at all._ Harry accepted the parchment from Bob and signed it, authorizing the change in access. "Anything further you need from me today, Bob?"

"The Black and Lovegood investments are starting to turn a nice profit," Bob offered. "Your Potter holdings are doing better after a few minor adjustments to them. If anything comes up I will be certain to let you know," Bob said as he walked Harry to the door. The two said their goodbyes and parted with Bob returning to his desk. The Goblin knew it was going to be a long day as he opened the Greengrass file and started reading.

**-oOo-**

The hour was late and the night was dark when the man appeared outside the manor gates with the telltale crack of apparition. The individual gave a quick look about to ensure that there were none present to observe his arrival. Satisfied, he strode forward, pausing only to push the gates open far enough for him to slip through. It wasn't long before the cloaked figure made its way down the cobbled lane and to the front doors of the large manor house. Raising one black gloved hand, the figure pounded upon the sturdy door several times and then waited.

The door when it opened spilled forth the bright light from within the home. The sudden light momentarily blinded the man waiting without. As the visitor's eyesight adjusted, he saw before him a rather tall man with pale skin and a pointed face. Cold, uncaring gray eyes regarded him without the sparkle of a friendly welcome or the heated hatred of an enemy. They were merely dispassionate as if nothing could serve to surprise this man anymore.

"Lucius," the man outside the house offered by way of greeting. "I had a feeling you might still be up."

"As I had a feeling you might be visiting," Lucius Malfoy replied mildly. "A bit late though for a social call is it not, Gerald? Then again I guess when you no longer have a house to run you suddenly find yourself with far too much time on your hands."

"Are you going to invite me in as would be proper or not?" Gerald Greengrass growled. He had known that Malfoy would waste no time in rubbing the fact that he was no longer the Head of the Greengrass family in his face. "The Malfoy hospitality isn't what it used to be now that you've fallen from grace," Gerald added with a contemptuous sneer.

Lucius merely chuckled. "And yet here you are, begging at my doorstep. Never let it be said that I am not a gracious host," the Head of the Malfoy family said, stepping aside so Gerald could enter. In short order, the two men were seated in the study, each with a sniffer of brandy in hand. Lucius eyed Gerald who seemed to be deep in thought. _He certainly doesn't appear to be any the worse for wear. Then again it was just the other day when he was outplayed by Potter._ "To what do I owe the pleasure of your company?" Lucius asked, jolting the man from his thoughts.

"How would you like that boy of yours to be the Head of the Black family?" Gerald asked, seeing no need to beat around the bush about the matter.

"As tempting as that sounds, the Black family already has a head as you very well know. As I don't see Potter making my Draco his heir anytime soon, I don't see how that could happen," Lucius replied.

"And if Potter wasn't the Head any longer?" Gerald pressed, reaching into his pocket and extracting a rolled piece of parchment. The information on the scroll had cost him a considerable portion of his emergency stash of gold that he had squirreled away in case of an emergency. _Bloody greedy goblin_ , Gerald cursed at the memory.

"What are you playing at?" Lucius inquired, his interest aroused. Gerald merely grinned and handed the scroll over. Lucius read over the parchment, a predatory smile spreading across his face. "Well, now that is interesting. Potter certainly has been busy it seems," Lucius stated as he read the parchment once more.

_Harry James Potter married to Daphne Annabelle Greengrass 25/12/1998 20:37 House of Black  
Harry James Potter married to Luna Constance Lovegood 26/12/1998 01:13 House of Lovegood_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Now you didn't really think that Gerald was going take losing everything and just roll over, did you? Also, it just wouldn't seem right to have a story involving Harry and not include the Malfoys in some manner. I guess the same could be said for Rita Skeeter, though I do admit to having some fun writing her story. Let me know if it sounded like something she would have written or not.
> 
> As always, your reviews are not required, but they are greatly appreciated.
> 
> Kind Regards,
> 
> EJ Daniels
> 
> All characters within this story, unless otherwise stated are the sole property of J. K. Rowling the original writer of the Harry Potter series.


	25. The Truth Will Out

**Chapter 25 – The Truth Will Out  
. . .**

Lucius Malfoy downed the remainder of his brandy in a single gulp before rising to his feet and making his way over to the cabinet for a refill. As he passed his desk, the wizard absently tossed the parchment he held upon it. "So what is your game plan, Gerald?" Lucius inquired as he filled his snifter. "You can't possibly be planning to challenge the boy directly. The Dark Lord couldn't beat Potter in a duel," he stated as he walked over and topped off the other man's snifter as well. "What makes you believe you'll fare any better?"

"That's because your Master," Gerald said with a sneer, "wanted to kill Potter. Even the most passive of animals, if backed into a corner, will turn and fight for its life. I've no interest in killing the hero of the Wizarding world right now," Gerald clarified. "That would be bad for business. It would be much more satisfying to kill his reputation and fame instead. Once the masses hate him," Gerald gave a dismissive shrug, "accidents happen all the time."

Returning the decanter of brandy to the cabinet, Lucius turned and regarded the seated wizard. "And just how do you propose to do that? The Prophet slandered his name for years under Fudge's administration, but that hardly seemed to slow him down at all. That boy has a knack for surviving impossible situations."

"Half-truths and outright lies that Skeeter cooked up," Gerald said, waving one hand in the air dismissively. "If she were half as good at reporting as she is at creative character assassination she might actually be competent at her job," Greengrass scoffed. He didn't practically like the witch, but he had to admit that she knew how to incite the masses and lead them around by the proverbial nose.

"That didn't stop you from using her to get the word out about your daughter's marriage to Potter though did it?" Lucius asked with a knowing smirk as he walked back over and seated himself once more. There was little else to explain why Skeeter had suddenly had a front page headline about the marriage.

"Skeeter has her uses," Gerald admitted. In a war waged strictly for public opinion, he couldn't think of anyone better to stir up the commoners. It was a trait that he would need on his side if his plans were to work. Daphne had been correct in that pissing off the masses would ruin his business and leave him destitute in a short amount of time. However, if he could get them on his side and clamoring for justice against their hero, _well that would do nicely_ , he thought.

"You've yet to tell of this grand plan of yours," Lucius pointed out, pausing to take a sip of the amber liquid in his glass. "You do have one don't you?" he asked with a humorous edge to his words.

"Of course I do!" Gerald snapped.

"Then let's hear it," Lucius encouraged. While Lucius didn't mind sitting around sipping brandy, he just preferred to do it in better company.

Gerald Greengrass had not gotten to where he was in life by being stupid. Stupid was not something his friends or even his enemies would call him. As much as he did not want to reveal his plan he knew he had to. _I need Lucius' contacts and gold to see this through._ This was one scheme Gerald realized he would not be able to play close to his chest if he wanted it to exceed.

"Potter has married two witches. Something that is clearly against the law. Even the muggles have laws against that," Gerald stated. "While breaking the muggle laws carries a sentence of seven years in prison, breaking our law has a much harsher consequence. Ten years in Azkaban would be the minimum penalty along with paying restitution to the families involved."

"I won't have to invent lies or even partial truths concerning Potter," Gerald stated. "He's already provided me with all I need by marrying two witches. All I require is for Skeeter to report the truth, and nothing but the truth, to see the Potter brat brought up on charges." The former head of the Greengrass family could already see the galleons rolling in when asked what amount he wanted for restitution for his daughter's damaged honor. _A million galleons ought to do nicely._

Lucius gave a short bark of laughter. "As if Skeeter could ever report just the truth," he said with a shake of his head. Lucius couldn't deny the fact though that Gerald's plan was a relatively good one. "So then you expect to see him imprisoned?" Malfoy asked.

Gerald nodded. "Once he is in Azkaban then he can be stripped of his status as head of house," Gerald confided with a wicked gleam in his eyes. "The Greengrass Head of House will revert back to me as Potter will be unable, as well as unfit, to continue as such. As the Head of House can only pass to a male, your Draco should inherit the Black family."

Lucius took a sip of his brandy, savoring the warmth of the liquid as it traversed his throat to settle in his gut. "So what is it that you wish from me?" he finally asked. While he trusted Gerald about as far as he could throw a hippogriff, with one arm tied behind his back, Lucius was none the less intrigued by the wizard's bold plan.

"You still have contacts within the Wizengamot, do you not?" Gerald asked, receiving a slight nod in answer. "I'm not a fool to believe that it will be easy to get Potter convicted. The boy just offed a Dark Lord for Merlin's sake and saved the country. Even given that he has broken the law Potter still might get off with little more than a slap on the wrists and the dissolvent of his marriage to the Lovegood girl."

"I need your influence to sway votes for his conviction," Gerald stated, revealing just what he needed the other wizard for finally. "As I recall there was once a significant portion of the Wizengamot that owed you favors or which were in your pay."

"Things were much easier when that idiot Fudge was Minister," Lucius pointed out. "These are different times now. Shacklebolt seems to be determined to clean up the Ministry." Lucius had used a large number of favors as well as galleons to ensure that he and his family remained out of jail. While he hadn't actually bought his pardon, he certainly had bought some of the votes that provided it. "Still, I might know a few who would be sympathetic to your cause."

"The more we have on our side, the easier it will be to pull this off," Gerald said with a pleased look upon his features. The wizard hadn't been confident that Lucius would even help him, but he had figured the former Death Eater was probably his best bet. Both due to the hatred the man would have for the Potter boy as well as for the wealth Lucius still held.

"So, let's talk terms," Lucius said. "I know you aren't asking for my help without expecting me to want something in return," he asked upon seeing the surprised look on the other man's face. "Surely you don't think I would help you out of the kindness of my heart? Whom do you take me for, a fool?"

"Isn't getting the Black family wealth enough?" Gerald questioned.

"Gold I have aplenty," Lucius replied with a gesture to indicate the manor house in which they were currently sitting. "I was not ranked number twelve on Forbes fifteen wealthiest in the United Kingdom's list for nothing. No, gold is not what I need. I need something that will occupy my time, something I seem to have entirely too much of these days. You will sell me thirty percent of Greengrass Mercantile Holdings, and I will become your silent partner."

"That's outrageous!" Gerald Greengrass exclaimed in an angry tone.

"Outrageous would have been to ask for fifty percent, Greengrass," Lucius replied calmly, unaffected by the man's outburst. _If I must go legitimate then what better way than buying into an established business that is doing rather well?_ "In return, I will swing you the votes you need for your plan to succeed. Additionally, as your silent partner, I will no doubt invest a substantial amount of the Black family fortune into your...I mean _our_ company. I call that a win-win for the both of us."

Gerald fully realized that Lucius was taking advantage of him. _I had expected him to do just that_ , he thought to himself. The wizard had hoped for a lower number than thirty percent though. _Seventy percent of something is a great deal more than a hundred percent of nothing_ , he mused. The fact that he would still be able to use the Black gold to further his own business, which was what he had been after all along with Daphne's marriage to Harry, was the final selling point. "Fine!" Gerald growled out in a displeased tone of voice he hoped was convincing.

"Smashing! I'll have my solicitor draw up the papers for the sale, and once they are signed we can see about changing that public opinion concerning our hero," said Lucius as he stood and set his now empty snifter on his desk. "That can wait till tomorrow though. Now if you don't mind, the hour is late, and I am not nearly as young as I used to be," he conceded with a gesture towards the door.

"Always good doing business with you, Lucius," Gerald said as he stood. Finishing off his brandy in a single swallow he passed the now empty snifter to Lucius, much as one would to a servant. Gerald knew it was petty of him, but he just couldn't resist doing so after what Malfoy had pulled on him. "I can show myself out," the wizard stated as he turned and headed or the door.

Lucius set the sniffer aside, recognizing the snub for what it was but deciding to let it slide for the time being. "I wouldn't hear of it," the head of the Malfoy family said as he followed his guest. "It would be poor manners after all." Lucius saw the wizard off and then returned to his study. Pouring himself another sniffer of brandy he seated himself at his desk and regarded the parchment that his uninvited guest had been kind enough to leave behind. "Whatever shall I do with you?" he asked it with a small grin as he sipped his drink.

**-oOo-**

Harry apparated into Diagon Alley coming to a stop right before the stairs to Gringotts. It was a quick dash up the stairs and through the doors before anyone outside could recognize who he was. With his final defeat of Voldemort his fame, much to his chagrin had increased, and it was hard to go anywhere in public in the Wizarding world without drawing a crowd. Today he just didn't have time for it.

Harry paused once across the threshold of the bank to allow his eyes to adjust to the dimmer lighting. The wizard looked about, still amazed at just how quickly the goblins had repaired the lobby from when a dragon, hell-bent on escape, had demolished it. When Harry had enquired to how much he owed for the repairs the goblin he spoke with told him that it had never happened. Furthermore, the goblin had insinuated that should he ever try and tell others that it had, he would see himself in court for disparagement of the good name of Gringotts.

Seeing a familiar face, Harry walked past the teller lines and straight to the goblin in question. "Floor Manager Bogrod, good to see you once again. I hope life had been treating you well and profitable?" Harry asked politely.

"Well enough," Bogrod replied with a toothy grin. "Not nearly as well as your Account Manager though," the goblin stated. "Bob is certainly making a name for himself thanks to you Mister Potter. Rumor has it that he will make Senior Account Manager soon."

"Yes, well, Bob has been a great help to me with all my holdings," Harry stated. "Truth be told; all those numbers just give me a headache. I would rather leave it to Bob as he seems to know what he is doing well enough. As long as the gold continues to come in, I have no complaints with his work."

"Few wizards feel so trusting, Mister Potter," Bogrod confessed. Witches and Wizard may allow the goblins to handle their gold, but that didn't mean that they trusted them with it. It was not uncommon to have them questioning everything the goblins did and disputing any and every fee imposed. For their part, the goblins didn't mind as they just charged the witch or wizard extra for their time while they explained the fees that were assessed.

Most times it took excessively long to explain it to them as wizards were rather dim. The fact that the said wizard or witch would then be back to question why they were assessed a fee for the consultation only meant that the goblins themselves would get more gold when they billed them for their time to explain that charge. Most magicals never seemed to figure out that it was just an endless circle. "Here to see your account manager, Mister Potter?"

"No," Harry replied. "I have a meeting." Bogrod consulted a clipboard and directed Harry to the appropriate conference room. The young wizard stood just outside the doors waiting for it to be the exact time. The thought to even wait an additional few minutes to make Malfoy squirm crossed Harry's mind but he dismissed it as too petty an action for him to do. _No sense in stooping to his level._

At precisely 10 o'clock Harry pushed open the door and entered the conference room. The room's sole occupant hastily stood upon seeing the wizard enter. Harry made his way over to the seat directly across the table from the man and waited. For several long moments, the two simply stared at each other before Harry recalled a bit of pure-blood tradition he had read back when he had first been expecting to meet Andi. _I outrank him currently, so he has to wait till I have seated myself_.

Again there was an urge to be rather petty about the whole matter and keep the wizard waiting, but Harry quickly squashed it and seated himself. _Taking the higher road and all that rubbish._ "Malfoy," Harry offered with a slight nod of his head once the wizard had seated himself. The wizard was dress impeccably as always with robes that were apparently handmade and tailored to fit. _I really need to see about getting my own tailor._

"Potter," the wizard offered politely, a fact that rather surprised Harry. He had come to expect a certain level of disdain and scarcely concealed hatred from the man. Not hearing it rather caught Harry off step as it were. An uneasy silence settled in as the two sized each other up.

"I'm rather surprised you called me here, Draco," Harry finally said, having had enough of the waiting game. "Well, I am here so let's get to it, shall we?" Harry asked with a grin that carried no humor. The young wizard was fairly certain why Draco was here and that it had to do with the marriage contract to Astoria Greengrass. As the Head of the Greengrass family, it was now within Harry's rights to cancel the contract.

"I know I already owe you a great deal," Draco opened with, his tone holding none of the usual hostility that Harry had become accustomed to hearing in his rival. "You saved my life in the Room of Requirements when that fool Goyle lost control of his Fiendfyre." There was no mistaking the note of genuine gratitude in the wizard's words.

"I guess I just couldn't help myself," stated Harry with a smirk. "Hermione calls it my ' _Saving People Thing_.' If you're worried about me calling in a life debt, you needn't bother. You actually helped me defeat Voldemort, though I'm certain you didn't intend to at the time."

"Just how did I do that?" Draco asked, completely baffled by Harry's accusation. Try as he might there was no time that he could recall helping with the defeat of the Dark Lord. Granted he had fought within the castle but only in self-defense as the Death Eaters weren't being all that choosy about which students they hexed. In the end, he had managed to leave with his parents and completely avoided the latter half of the battle altogether.

"If you hadn't disarmed Dumbledore when you did then Voldemort would have gained mastery of the Elder wand," Harry clarified.

"The Elder Wand is real?" Draco asked in disbelief. He, like most wizarding children, had been read the tale concerning the Peverell brothers and the Deathly Hallows. Draco had just never believed it to be anything more than a story to entertain children with. Seeing Harry nod that it was, Draco couldn't help but ask, "So I'm the master of it?"

"You were, once," Harry replied. "Then I disarmed you at Malfoy Manor, and so I became its master, having bested you. The wand couldn't betray its owner, so Voldemort never had full control of it. I doubt I would have fared so well had he."

"So where is the wand now?" Draco inquired.

"I destroyed it," Harry lied. He had in fact destroyed a wand, one transfigured to look like the Elder wand, which was what Hermione and Ron had seen him do. Being the only person that knew the wand still existed was the safest thing for it, Harry had decided. "It was too powerful to allow it to remain in this world."

Draco could hardly believe his ears. _How could he just give up something so powerful?_ "What of the other Hallows?" he asked, curious if they were real as well.

Harry shrugged dismissively. "Who knows? Never seen them before and have no desire to go looking for them either. We've seemed to have gotten a bit off topic here though. While I, like so many others, find the Hallows an interesting topic, I'm sure you did not come here to discuss them."

"Yes, I have a matter I would like to discuss with you as you are now the head of the Greengrass family," Draco stated, sitting up in his chair smartly, ready to get down to business. "I would take it as a personal favor if you were to cancel the marriage contract between House Greengrass and House Malfoy."

For a long moment, Harry just sat there, uncertain if he had heard correctly or not. _Cancel? Not keep?_ "Let's just set the question of why I would ever do you a personal favor aside for the moment, why do you want the contract canceled? Astoria not good enough for you? Afraid of being related to me?" Harry asked with a small smirk of his own.

"It's not like that at all, Potter," Draco replied in a calm tone, once again surprising Harry. This was not the Draco Harry recalled from school. "I do not want to trap Astoria into a marriage she does not want," the blonde wizard confessed. "The Malfoy name is not what it used to be," Draco said, ignoring Harry's amused snort of agreement. "I would not see her tainted by it because of something her father and mine decided."

_I'll be damned if he doesn't actually sound sincere about this_ , Harry thought in disbelief. _Something certainly has changed him from the tosser I knew during the war. Then again he could just be lying through his teeth I suppose._ "What of Astoria's wishes in this matter? It would hardly seem fair to end it just because you wish it so," Harry replied, trying to see what the slimy git was up to.

"Look, Potter, she is a wonderful person," Draco barked, his temper slipping and getting the better of him. "She deserves better than to be associated with the Malfoy family! You'll be doing her more of a favor than me by letting her out of this. You can even keep the bloody bride price!"

This apparently sensitive and caring Draco was more than a little unsettling to Harry. After fighting the wizard for many years, Harry was confident he knew everything he needed to know about the man. Yet, this was a side of Draco he truly hadn't known existed, and he wasn't exactly certain just how to handle this new found personality. "I'm not buying it, Ferret," Harry said, trying to push the wizard's buttons. "What's this really about?"

"Why does it matter Scarhead?" Draco asked only to see the man across from him waiting for an explanation. _Bloody hell I was hoping to avoid this_ , the Malfoy scion thought to himself. "I've been spending time with Astoria this year at Hogwarts," he finally confessed. "After everything that happened, she is one of the few that would even speak to me."

"Given that we are soon to be married I thought it best to get to know my future wife," Draco continued with. "She isn't anything like I would expect from a family member of the Sacred Twenty-Eight. She believes that Muggles should be treated as equals and has forbidden me from ever using the term mudblood again. She has the most peculiar notions and doesn't buy into the whole pure-blood supremacy dogma. Mother and father are none too pleased with that actually. Can't help but wonder how family get-togethers would be and all."

Harry sat and listened to the man across from him, becoming more and more lost with each spoken word. It was evident to him that Draco cared for Astoria. He need only watch as the Slytherin's face lit up whenever he spoke of the girl. Harry almost felt sorry for the lovesick fool. _Thank heavens I'm not anything like that_ , he thought to himself.

"She's wickedly smart," Draco carried on, not realizing just how he sounded. "Astoria keeps dragging me off to the library, and she makes certain I do my schoolwork proper like. I'm sure you understand as often as Granger did the same to you. I will admit that I'll probably have better grades this year than I have in any previous one, and it's all due to her. Best not tell her I said that though," Draco said only to pause as he just noticed that Harry was sitting there with a huge smirk on his face. "What?"

"Bloody hell, you love her!" Harry stated in a tone of disbelief. "That's why you want the marriage called off. You think that being married to a Malfoy will cause her problems."

"That's absurd!" Draco exclaimed. "Just because I do not want her drawn into the mess caused by my father's idiocy does not mean that I am in love with her! While she is most certainly beautiful enough to turn my head, she is also insufferably bossy at times," Draco pointed out. The fact that Astoria's demands were often for his betterment was conveniently overlooked.

Harry chuckled despite himself, thinking of Hermione. "I can well understand that," he voiced in commiseration.

"I take it then that the sisters are alike?" Draco asked, referring to Daphne.

"No, Daphne is different," Harry shared. "She has her own ways of getting what she wants though," he added, thinking of the low-cut dress he had last seen the blonde witch in.

"Don't they all," Draco asked rhetorically. "So, will you cancel the marriage contract?"

Harry sat and thought for a long moment before replying. "I had originally intended to do just that. Even more so now after hearing what you've had to say." Harry saw the hopeful look which appeared on Draco's face and still found the thought that the man cared for someone other than himself a bit unsettling. "However, before I decide anything I will need to discuss this matter with Astoria herself. It seems only fair," Harry pointed out.

Draco gave a curt nod of acceptance before cocking his head to one side slightly. "If you don't mind me asking, how is married life?"

Harry thought for a long moment before answering. "Confusing," he finally said. "I have no clue what I'm doing most of the time. Certainly no clue as to what they're thinking. I just try to keep them happy as best I can and hope I don't make too much a shambles of it," he said thinking of Daphne and Luna.

"Them?" Draco asked, having caught Harry's inadvertent choice of words. "You make it sound like you have more than one wife, Potter."

"Heaven forbid! One is plenty," Harry hastily replied with a nervous chuckle. "I do happen to have several house guests at the moment though, all of them women too. I'm rather greatly outnumbered it seems."

"Can't imagine Greengrass is thrilled with that arrangement?" Draco stated.

"Well, Tracey is Daphne's friend and there because Daphne asked her to be. Luna is now my ward and Andi is my cousin. Teddy is my godson, so I'm rather responsible for him. Hermione is…well Hermione, my closest friend. I'm sure Daphne understands and doesn't mind them being there in the least," Harry said.

"Better you than me, Potter," Draco said with a small disbelieving shake of his head. Astoria was the jealous type and had made it very clear to him early on that she would not take kindly to his eye wandering towards other witches.

"What are we doing here, Malfoy?" Harry suddenly asked, sitting back in his chair. "Are we actually have a polite conversation like two civilized people?"

"It's like we're almost friends," Draco smirked. "Wouldn't Weasley have a cow over that? I'm certain his head would explode."

"Probably," Harry had to agree. Ron was well known for his dislike for anyone from Slytherin, Draco especially. _No, we're definitely not friends_ , Harry thought, finding it equally hard to see the wizard before him as an enemy still. Harry stood. "I'll let you know what I'll do once I have spoken to Astoria and learned of her wishes in this matter."

Draco stood when Harry did. "Thank you," Draco replied, extending his hand towards Harry.

The young wizard eyed the hand for a moment before accepting it and giving it a firm shake. _The war is over_ , Harry reminded himself. _Perhaps it is time for all of us to build some bridges._ Harry had little doubt that he and Draco would never be the best of friends, but that didn't mean they had to remain enemies either. "Don't go thanking me just yet," Harry told him before they parted ways.

**-oOo-**

With Harry off to a meeting at Gringotts, there was little to do for the witches that remained at Westfield. Andi was off to class and then her internship at St. Mungo's. Mary had left to purchase a book she felt she would need for classes. It wasn't long before the five youngest of the manor's residents gravitated towards the library. Astoria, once she could breathe again after seeing the library, promptly asked if she could move in for good. The young witch had a love of books that nearly rivaled that of Hermione's.

Luna and Hermione were seated at a table near the middle of the bottom floor, each working on the day's assignment they had received from Mary. Tracey, having plans to get Daphne to help her with said assignment after dinner, was seated on a couch with a book in hand, reading. Daphne, knowing Tracey far better than Tracey did, knew that her closest friend would wait until the last minute and then ask, desperately begging her for help. As that probably wouldn't be till after dinner, the witch was enjoying some leisurely reading as well. Astoria was off inspecting the many shelves of the library and the amazing treasures they held.

"Well," Daphne suddenly said into the silence that had persisted for some time. The young witch snapped her book closed, making a rather loud noise and drawing the attention of the others. "I guess I shall go move."

"Move? Where are you going to?" Tracey asked with a touch of concern, this being the first she had heard of Daphne's plans.

"Nowhere silly," Daphne replied with a grin. "I meant to move into Harry's room of course."

"Oh goody," Luna commented but was ignored by the others. Drawn by the voices, Astoria came out of the shelves to stand near Hermione and listen to the exchange.

"Why?" Hermione posed, looking at Daphne.

"Why? What do you mean why?" Daphne answered, rather irked at being questioned. _What business is it of hers?_ She couldn't help thinking. "Because I'm his wife of course." Daphne had decided that as Harry's wife she should share his bed, even if they didn't do anything other than sleep for the time being.

"I meant why now?" Hermione responded, irritated at Daphne's tone and the fact that she would be sharing Harry's bed. While rationally Hermione understood that the two were married and that Daphne had every right to sleep with Harry, the heart was not a rational creature though. "You've been married for several weeks already. I would have thought you would have moved in as soon as you returned."

"Well, there were issues," Daphne replied a bit evasively. "If you must know, I was waiting for Harry to ask me to move in. As he seems to have forgotten to do so I'll just have to take it upon myself I guess." _Honestly, would it be that hard for him to actually think of these things and just ask me?_ She silently questioned.

"Maybe it just slipped his mind," Tracey suggested. While Tracey loved Daphne, she also loved Harry and so was rather torn between the two. _I know Daphne has to get pregnant and all_ , Tracey told herself, trying to force down the green-eyed monster within her. The fact that the confused witch wasn't sure if she was more jealous of Harry being with Daphne or the fact that Daphne would be with Harry wasn't helping matters at all.

"Or maybe there was a reason he didn't ask her," snapped Hermione, an angry edge to her words. "Maybe Harry doesn't want you there!" she claimed, trying to protect her best friend's privacy and keep it from being invaded against his will. If that meant Harry had to sleep alone then so be it.

"Why wouldn't he want Sissy to share his room?" Astoria asked, apparently confused by the exchange between the witches. "Don't all married people sleep together?"

"Well it was a forced marriage," Tracey offered, only to receive a traitorous glare from Daphne for her efforts.

"Harry and I talked about what happened," Daphne responded with as she turned and glared at Hermione feeling the girl was sticking her nose in where it entirely didn't belong. "He told me that he realized that it wasn't my fault and that he truly loves me. I admitted that I loved him as well," she added in a smug tone.

Hermione's eyes widened only slightly before they narrowed in anger. "I've been with Harry the longest and know him better than anyone here. Of course, he would say it wasn't your fault. That's just how Harry is. He has this need to save people for some reason, often at the cost of himself. You can't help but love him for it," Hermione stated, her features softening a bit at the thought of the wizard.

It lasted only a moment before Hermione's face took on a scowl once more. "You're not the only witch that loves Harry, just the latest," Hermione declared. "I may not have been the quickest to realize it, but I love him too. Harry has told me that he loves me as well." The fact that it was how Harry signed his letters to her was conveniently overlooked. _I know he loves me. He just hasn't said it as yet is all_ , she reasoned.

"Oh, so he finally told you?" Luna quipped. "Have you kissed him yet?" the inquisitive witch asked, genuinely happy for them both. It had long been apparent to her that Harry and Hermione were in love, even if they were to Gryffindor to see it. _Brave they might be but totally clueless when it comes to each other and how they feel_.

Hermione gave a short nod as Daphne's jaw dropped in disbelief. "The last being right here up in my room," the bushy-haired witch confessed to the amazement of all. "We had a wonderful snog on my bed. So I guess that makes us at least even. What gives you the right to move into Harry's room against his wishes?" Hermione asked Daphne in a challenging tone.

"I'm his wife!" the irate witch growled through clenched teeth, her anger finally getting the better of her and flaring to life. In part, Hermione was right, which only served to fuel her anger all the more. _If I hadn't placed myself on that curb for Harry to find none of this would have happened._ Still, Daphne couldn't believe that Harry would cheat on her and snog Hermione right after they had agreed to work things out between them. The young emotional witch was rather ill prepared to hear what came next.

"So am I," Luna stated, causing all eyes to turn towards her.

Silence reigned for nearly a full minute as everyone stared in utter disbelief. "You lie!" Daphne finally managed to say only to watch as Luna raised her left hand and allowed the Lovegood ring to come into view upon her ring finger. "How is that possible? When did this happen?" Daphne asked, her body shaking with barely contained fury. "It isn't legal to be married to two people!" _Harry is mine!_

"The night of Christmas Eve...or was it Christmas morning?" Luna said in a thoughtful tone, unaffected by Daphne's apparent anger. "All of you had abandoned Harry," Luna accused, her tone changing in an instant to disapproving. "You were not the only one affected by what you father had done. After all the time you'd spent with Harry I would have thought you'd have known him better than that," Luna threw in Daphne's face.

The fact that Luna's words were the truth and caused Daphne to be ashamed of her actions may have been the proverbial straw which broke the camel's back. Daphne reached for her wand only to see that Luna's was already in her hand. _Damn, she's fast_ , the blonde witch thought as she tossed off a hair-loss hex only to see it rebound off the witch's shield. "You're lying," the furious witch spat sending two more hexes at the nimble witch who sidestepped them both.

"Hold still," Daphne growled as she called out _Colloshoo_ in an attempt to adhere the witch's shoes to the floor only to see her hex fly wide of the mark. The witch's temper was working against her, making it difficult to aim accurately. The former Slytherin also did not have the benefit of the training Luna had received during her time in Dumbledore's Army under Harry's tutelage.

The others looked on, uncertain just what to do. For the moment they seemed to be content to allow the two witches to settle it on their own. "Not the books!" Astoria and Hermione yelled in unison when one of Daphne's spells went wide and took out a section of shelving and the books upon then. The two book lovers turned and looked at each other, giving a small hesitant smile in acknowledgment of a kindred spirit.

Luna, who had been completely on the defensive so far suddenly went on the offensive upon seeing the books destroyed. Being a former Ravenclaw, the petite witch held a certain reverence for the knowledge contained in books. Not nearly as much as Hermione and apparently Astoria had though. Still, the last thing she wanted was to see Harry's library reduced to rubble especially after he had worked so hard to make it perfect for Hermione.

The nimble witch skipped to the side to avoid a teeth-growing hex from Daphne and quickly spun her wand through a small pattern, causing a light-blue spell to speed across the room and hit Daphne squarely in the chest. _I can't believe she didn't even have a shield spell in place_ , Luna thought. _Harry will want to spend some time training her._

Daphne saw the spell coming but realized she couldn't avoid it or get a shield up fast enough. When the spell hit her in the chest, she expected there to be a pain but there was none. The former Slytherin opened her mouth to make a sarcastic comment about weak spells only to see a giant soap bubble exit her lips instead. Twice more she tried to speak only for more bubble to emerge instead of her words. In a panic, Daphne realized that with a single spell Luna had effectively put her out of the fight.

Wasting little time, Luna gestured with her wand, and a couch skidded across the floor to knock Daphne from her feet and onto one of the area carpets that covered the floor. A quick swirling of Luna's wand saw the rug roll itself up with the witch at its center like some bizarre pastry filling. Luna gave a tug on her wand, and the carpet stood itself upright. The only visible part of the witch within were her feet where they rested upon the floor.

It was like watching a train wreck for the others. They just couldn't look away as within, but a few seconds Luna had completely incapacitated the older witch. The three of them were held spellbound as there was suddenly the sound of tearing fabric and Daphne's alabaster arm shot out of the right of the rolled up rug and blindly began casting cutting curses.

Seeing Luna raise her wand to finish Daphne off Tracey grabbed for her own wand only to hear _Petrificus Totalus_ as Hermione cursed her. The witch felt her entire body stiffen up and found that she couldn't move at all. There was nothing Tracey could do as she watched Luna stun Daphne.

Hermione barely had a chance to smile at having defended her friend Luna before she was hit from the side by a stunner that Astoria had fired. The youngest Greengrass looked at her wand in wonder, completely surprised by the fact that her stunner had actually worked at all when she was dropped by the same spell from the only remaining mobile witch in the room.

Luna surveyed the room, amusedly noting that Daphne, while stunned, was still upright thanks to the rug wrapped around her. "Well, that escalated rather quickly," the petite witch said aloud as she walked over and stunned Tracey before using the counter-curse to remove the full body bind. _I really didn't expect Daphne to be able to silently cast a cutting curse_ , she mused as she lowered the now stunned witch to the floor. "Now, whatever shall I do with all of you?" Luna asked as she regarded the four unconscious witches.

**-oOo-**

Daphne slowly awoke and blinked her eyes several times before they could focus clearly. The first thing noticed was that she was still in the library. Winky and Kreacher were busy repairing what looked to be damage from her spell work. The second thing the young witch noticed was that she was bound to the chair in which she was seated. Daphne opened her mouth and yelled to be released immediately however no sound came out.

Across the table, from Daphne, she could see Hermione, apparently bound to a chair as well. Turning her head, Daphne found Tracey seated beside her and Astoria beside Hermione, both secured in a similar fashion. Daphne struggled against her ropes for a moment before realizing that she didn't have her wand. A shiver of fear traversed the young witch's spine. While she didn't honestly think Luna would harm them Daphne had just been casting curses at the petite witch not all that long ago.

"Oh good you're awake," Luna's jovial voice came from behind Daphne, startling the bound witch. The witch in question walked around and into Daphne's field of vision causing her eyes to widen in disbelief. Luna's hair was drawn up in a very McGonagallish type bun, though that was not the part that surprised Daphne. Into the bun, thrust like some comical version of the peacock's plumage were five wands.

"Let us begin," Luna announced as she seated herself at the only empty seat at the table, the one at the head of it. "First, my apologies Astoria. You obviously don't know what is happening here and certainly don't deserve to be tied up, but I can't very well have you freeing the others," Luna explained while apologizing to the younger witch with a sincere smile.

"You see, the issue here is that Harry is a very lovable wizard," Luna continued addressing Astoria, who had little choice but to listen. The four bound witches found it a bit unnerving as Luna was speaking as if the five of them has just sat down for a spot of tea rather than the fact that they were being held prisoner after exchanging spells at wand point. "Many of the witches here are in love with him, myself included," Luna confessed with a warm smile as she folded her hands before her on the table.

"Hermione has loved Harry for some time, though it has only been recent that she's realized it," Luna continued with. "It took her a bit to gather her courage and tell him of course. Sadly, that was not until after your father forced the marriage between Daphne and Harry. Everyone at Hogwarts had always known they were meant to be together…well everyone but apparently themselves. If she had told him sooner, this entire mess might have been avoided."

Everyone turned to look at the bushy-haired witch. "I was afraid it would ruin our friendship," Hermione mumbled sadly only to look up rather startled that she could speak. The young witch yelled for Luna to release her only to once again have no sound come out. "What have you done to us?" Hermione asked in a normal tone of voice.

"There will be no yelling or screaming in this conversation," Luna informed her. "Was it just your friendship that you were worried about? It seems to me that if you truly loved someone, you'd be willing to do anything, risk anything, for a chance at being with them and having them love you too," Luna pressed, hoping that her friend would confess what was truly the reason she had not pursued Harry.

Hermione hung her head in shame. She knew the exact reason she had not told Harry how she felt. The bright witch wasn't certain how Luna had figured it out or even if she had. "I…I couldn't stand the thought of losing Harry," she finally confessed to the surprise of everyone but Luna.

"If I had told him that I loved him and by some miracle, he loved me in return…," the witch's words trailed off for a moment as her emotions got the better of her. "There was a madman after him and war to be fought. Harry's life was always at risk. Every year there was some attempt on his life which he just barely managed to survive. I…I don't think I could have survived something happening to him knowing that he loved me as much as I love him," Hermione admitted as tears slowly trickled down her cheeks to drop onto the tabletop before her.

"You were scared," Luna summarized, in understanding. The others at the table couldn't help the sympathetic expressions that graced their faces as they regarded the weeping witch. "Because you were scared you denied Harry perhaps the one thing he wanted most in this world. To be loved," Luna stated, causing Hermione to sob even harder as she realized what she had done. "That doesn't make you a bad person, Hermione, just a stupid one."

"Now your sister on the other hand," Luna said, addressing Astoria but looking at Daphne, "saw Harry as a way to escape the marriage your father had arranged for her." The former Ravenclaw missed very little that went on about her. Through snippets of conversations as well as just observing the others she had pieced it all together. Harry had told her some of it of course, but there were things that he wouldn't divulge for fear of hurting the others.

"I love Harry," Daphne stated in a calm voice, believing she had figured out the spell from what Hermione had done. _As long as I do not raise my voice or yell I can speak._

"A fact I am certain you hadn't counted on in your original plan," Luna was quick to counter with. "Did you really just happen to be seated there right at the precise moment Harry walked up or were you waiting for him?" Luna asked, making an educated guess. It would be a rather Slytherin thing to do the bright witch had reasoned. Seeing Tracey flinch at the question Luna knew she had surmised correctly. "Perhaps we should ask Tracey, she seems to know. I'm certain the two of you have no secrets from each other."

"Fine. I admit it," Daphne replied, seeing no reason not to as she had already told Harry the truth. "I planned the entire encounter. I needed a sanctuary. A place where even my father couldn't touch me. Harry was the only logical choice having just defeated the Dark Lord and all. It was either that or get sold away into slavery as someone's wife I didn't want to be."

"Yes, well we see how well that worked out," Luna quipped, causing Daphne to take her turn at hanging her head in shame. "It was due to your own actions that Harry got roped into this entire situation in the first place. When your well-laid plans blew up in your face, rather spectacularly I might add, who did you blame? That's right, Harry. I'll bet you never once apologized to him for dragging him into your mess, have you?"

Daphne gave a little shake of her head to indicate that she hadn't. "I never meant for any of this to happen," she said with a soft sniffle. "I just didn't want to marry someone I wasn't in love with. Is that so terrible a thing?"

"No, it's not," Luna confirmed, shifting her gaze to Tracey. "Especially when that someone loves you in return. But to use someone else to get what you want is not alright," the witch stated as she once again stared at Daphne. "Harry loves you despite what you've done to him," Luna continued with, causing Daphne to break down and start to cry just as Hermione had done. "It's not my place to say that your actions make you unworthy of Harry's love, but they do show you to be rather selfish and self-centered."

Seeing Luna look her way Tracey spoke up first. "I know. I have treated Harry horribly. All he has done is shown me kindness and compassion, and when I should have, I didn't trust him. I turned my back on him and scorned him for what I had thought he had done to Daphne. While I could blame what happened on Gregory Goyle, the truth is that I have been terrified of trusting anyone ever again and I took that out on Harry."

"Bloody hell, he saved me, my family and our business only to hand it over to me as a gift," Tracey continued with as a tear trickled down her face. "How did I repay him? When I should have believed in him, I accused him and called him vile names. It was far easier to believe that he had betrayed me than to actually trust him," she confessed, openly weeping but determine not to hang her head and try to hide it. "I may not deserve his love if he even does love me, but I do love him all the same."

Luna gave the crying witch a warm, caring smile, glad that there was at least someone who was finally being honest with themselves. "I'm certain he loves you, Tracey. Harry is just sometimes a little slow to say so."

"What about you?" Astoria asked, finding it difficult to believe that Luna was the only one who didn't have ulterior motives for her actions. Especially since she was married to Harry as well.

"I'm just as bad as the lot of them," Luna confessed rather calmly, drawing looks from all the witches present. "My loving father, upon his deathbed, extracted an oath from Harry. I'm sure he felt that he was doing me a favor. There were certain conditions that needed to be met for Harry to fulfill the oath. He needed to protect me, provide for me as well as give me a place to call home," Luna explained. The others listened raptly as this was all news to them. "He also had to provide me with a family."

Astoria gasped in disbelief, "He needed to give you a child?"

"Adoption," Hermione spoke up. "Harry could have adopted you as well to provide you with a family," the quick thinking witch voiced.

"Yes, he could have," Luna agreed. "But I was selfish and convinced myself that he needed to get me with a child in order to fulfill the oath. Honestly, I should have thought of the adoption angle sooner. Harry's solicitor eventually reached that same conclusion," Luna confessed much to their surprise.

"I was so certain that the magic of the oath would eventually force us together that I decided not to wait," Luna informed them. Daphne couldn't help but understand the witch's reasoning as she had reached that same conclusion just the other day when she had practically thrown herself at Harry. "I hurried back here to tell Harry only to find him distraught and a little drunk in the cellar."

"So I took him to bed," Luna declared brazenly. "I was rather scared but I needn't have been as Harry was a tender and sweet lover even though we were both a bit awkward that first time. He proposed to me just before he took me," Luna confided in them, perhaps skirting the edges of too much information in the process. "We've both gotten loads better with practice though," Luna added with a bright smile.

"It wasn't until that morning afterward that I learned you were married to him as well, Daphne. Had I known I'm not so certain that I could have gone through with it," Luna admitted. "Then again, I honestly hadn't expected Harry to propose either. At best I had hope for a rather memorable first time with a present nine months later down the road, but Harry told me he loved me. Me, as unbelievable as that was," Lune voiced in a slightly awed tone.

"I knew I was in love with Harry even before my father passed away. I just never believed that he could love me as well. I should have known though," Luna stated with a frown at herself. "Harry has always had the ability to love those closest to him. Dumbledore believed it was the capacity to love that was Harry's greatest asset and allowed him to defeat Voldemort. In the Department of Mysteries, it was Harry's love for his friends that allowed him to cast out Voldemort."

"How could you know that?" Hermione asked, totally surprised by Luna's words.

"You couldn't tell?" Luna countered with, a surprised look on her face as Hermione shook her head slowly. "I thought it was evident."

"So what now?" Astoria asked into the ensuing silence.

"That is the question," Luna replied with a weary sigh. "We all love our Harry, but none of us deserve him. We're all far more concerned about ourselves than we are about him. Mummy once told me that to love another is to put their happiness before your own. Clearly, none of us have been doing that," Luna stated as she stood.

"Where are you going?" Tracey enquired upon seeing the petite witch stand.

"To greet my husband when he returns," Luna replied as if it was the obvious answer.

"What about us?" Daphne asked trying to keep her temper in check. She certainly didn't like being called out in front of everyone else. It was humiliating and degrading as she saw it, even if she wasn't the only one for it to happen to.

"Clearly you three have issues you need to resolve," Luna answered as she walked around the table and headed for the doors to the library. "I think now would be a good time for you to talk things out," the petite witch advised just before she slipped from the library, closing the door behind her.

It wasn't long before Daphne and Hermione were trading insults. Hermione feeling that Daphne was so not deserving of her Harry. For her part, Daphne was certain that Hermione was just trying to claim Harry for herself. Tracey and Astoria tried to be the voices of reason but soon grew tired of the snarky comments that their efforts bought them. Eventually, silence reigned throughout the library as the witches were too angry to even speak.

Astoria began to fidget in her chair, "I have to pee."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well, there you have it. You lot have been after me to have the truth come out, and so it has, though probably not in the manner you might have expected it to. Luna has been rather quiet during this entire time since she and Harry were married. She has always struck me as the observant type, and so she sat back and bided her time till she couldn't take it any longer. I thought it rather fitting that Luna thought herself just as bad as the others. Let me know what your thoughts on the matter were.
> 
> As always, your reviews are not required, but they are greatly appreciated.
> 
> Kind Regards,
> 
> EJ Daniels
> 
> All characters within this story, unless otherwise stated are the sole property of J. K. Rowling the original writer of the Harry Potter series.


	26. A Series of Misfortunate Events

**Chapter 26 - A Series of Misfortunate Events  
. . .**

Harry stepped from the floo and into Westfield Manor lost in thought. He hadn't really expected to see Draco at Gringotts, having thought it would be Malfoy senior summoning him. _That would certainly fit his style._ Perhaps more startling to Harry were the evident changes he could see in the Malfoy scion. _Funny what love will make you do_ , Harry mused to himself. The distracted wizard nearly walked into Luna before realizing she was there. "Oh, sorry," Harry apologized.

"Everything alright?" Luna inquired in a slightly concerned tone as it was unlike Harry to just walk into a person, even when distracted. The young witch was certain it had something to do with his Seeker reflexes. "How was your meeting?"

"It wasn't with who I thought it was," Harry confided. "Though it was concerning what I thought it would be. Which was terribly odd, I'll admit. This entire afternoon has been a bit off actually. How about you?" Harry asked with a questioning look. "How are things here?"

"Rather quiet," Luna answered with a proud smile at the fact. "An elf brought a letter from the Lupin Home," Luna informed Harry. "I placed it on your desk in the study."

"Thanks," Harry replied. "You wouldn't happen to have a bit of time free would you, Luna?" Harry asked before doing a quick look about to ensure it was just the two of them for the moment.

"For you? Always," Luna assured him with a warm and caring smile.

"I would like to talk to you about something. I feel as though we actually haven't spent a great deal of time together of late," Harry voiced, stepping in and slipping an arm around the petite witch. "I know this entire situation can't be easy for you, what with not being able to tell people we're married and all. You've been really understanding, and I want you to know that I really do appreciate that, Luna," Harry said as he leaned down and captured the witch's lips with his own in a soft and gentle kiss.

Luna leaned into the kiss, enjoying the intimacy with her husband. While she had been sharing Harry's bed, the wizard had a rather nasty habit of staying up until all hours of the morning it seemed. So while Luna spent the night in Harry's bed, a large amount of the time it was without his presence there beside her. "I love you, Harry Potter and I know you love me," Luna told him once she could use her lips to speak. "That is all that really matters."

"You are much too good to me Missus Lovegood," Harry replied with a tender smile. "Why don't you go wait for me in the study. I need to nick a book from the library really quick like, and I'll meet you there." The young wizard recalled that there were several books on marriage contracts in the library, and Harry hoped one of them had the proper procedure to follow when rejecting one.

"Alright," Luna replied without a care in the world. "Don't take too long. It isn't nice to keep a lady waiting," she chided Harry playfully as the two exchanged a quick kiss and parted ways.

_I can just gather them all together and tell them_ , Harry thought to himself as he made his way to the library. _Better yet I could do it at dinner tonight and just be done with._ It was that very thing which he wished to speak to Luna about. After his meeting with Draco, Harry had visited the offices of Daniel Wright and his partners and told his solicitor his plan to come clean with the women staying at his home.

As much as Harry hated to admit it, the reason he had decided to tell everyone was due to Draco. After seeing just how far the Slytherin would go for the woman he obviously cared about, Harry had felt more than a little guilty that he hadn't done the same for Luna. "Can't let the ferret one-up me, now can I?" Harry mumbled to himself as he pulled open the library door.

In the blink of an eye, Harry took in the picture of the four bound witches who all started to yell at him. At least he thought they were yelling as he couldn't hear a thing they were saying. Taking that as his cue, Harry quickly turned to his left and disappeared in the rows of shelves in search of the book he was looking for. Upon finding it, the wizard leisurely made his way from the room at a speed of just under a mad dash, but not by much.

Harry wasted little time in making his way to the study. Walking behind his desk, he set the book down on the desktop before seating himself and regarding Luna, who was the picture of innocence. Twice Harry opened his mouth to say something only to have words fail him. "I guess that explains the wands," he finally managed to get out, his eyes glancing up at Luna's headwear before returning to the witch's calm features.

"Well, I couldn't very well leave the wands there so they could free themselves," Luna pointed out helpfully. "We would have never gotten anywhere with everyone tossing off spells right and left."

Harry sighed and ran one hand through his hair wearily. _This day just keeps getting stranger and stranger._ "Do I even want to know what that is all about?"

"We witches had a few things we needed to discuss," Luna told him. "Though I do wish Andi could have been there," the petite girl added in a thoughtful tone. "I'm fairly sure she would have used something a bit more creative than a stunner," Luna mused aloud to herself.

"A stunner?" Harry asked in disbelief. "There were spells thrown?" Seeing Luna nod that there had been the bewildered wizard continued, "Bloody hell, I step out for the afternoon, and my home becomes a war zone! What happened?" Harry enquired almost fearful of the answer.

"Language, Harry," Luna admonished, playing the part of Hermione as the bushy-haired witch was rather tied up at the moment. "Hermione informed Daphne that she, Daphne not Hermione, was not the only witch to love you, just the latest. Hermione then asked by what right she, Daphne not Hermione again, could invade your privacy. Daphne stated that it was because she was your wife as if that was all it took. I pointed out to her that I was your wife as well."

Harry was more than a little shocked at hearing Luna's words. On the one hand, he was a bit relieved as well as it appeared that he no longer needed to tell everyone that he and Luna were married. On the other hand, he was frightened by what the others would do now that they knew this fact. _Damn, I need more hands,_ Harry thought, realizing he would still need to explain all of this to Mary. _I doubt she will take it overly well_.

"Daphne didn't seem to like that very much," Luna continued with. "She started to hex me. At least I think that was her intentions. She wasn't very good at it. You might want to do some extra training with her, Harry, like you did for us back in school," Luna suggested helpfully. "She didn't even have a shield up."

"So you stunned her?" Harry asked hesitantly, cocksure that no matter how everything had played out, Daphne was not going to be in anything other than a foul mood.

"Not until she destroyed some books with a cutting curse," Luna pointed out.

"And the others let you?" enquired the Wizard in disbelief.

"Well Tracey tried to stop me, but Hermione hit her with a full body bind. Of course, she then got hit with a stunner from Astoria. You may want to work with her as well as Astoria seemed a bit surprised that her spell actually worked," Luna offered, wondering if she should start writing a ' _To Do_ ' list for Harry, so he didn't forget anything. "So I stunned Astoria, then Tracey, after stunning Daphne of course," Luna confirmed with an expression as if she were waiting to be praised for her efforts.

It was with a sinking feeling in the pit of his stomach that Harry voiced his next question. He was just certain that he wasn't going to like the answer to it. "And then?"

"Oh that was the easy part," the smiling witch replied with a dismissive wave of one hand. "I tied them each to a chair and then told everyone their deepest secrets. Well, actually, Tracey confessed hers on her own, and I told mine, but Hermione and Daphne aren't nearly as honest with themselves as we are I think. Hopefully, they'll come around though as it will be important that we can all be honest with each other in the future."

Harry sat back in his chair for a long moment, lost in thought. "Well, I was thinking of telling everyone at dinner tonight anyways," the wizard finally confessed, not certain what to make of everything Luna had imparted to him. While he wasn't exactly thrilled how the information had come out, he really couldn't be mad at Luna. _If I hadn't dilly dallied about none of this would have happened._

"Really?" Luna asked, having thought it would still be sometime before Harry was ready to do that. The bright witch knew that Harry would have told the others sooner or later and actually hadn't planned on saying anything at all. She just couldn't stand to see the others fighting over something as silly as who was and wasn't married to Harry. They all loved Harry, and he loved them. _That's all that really matters_ , she thought.

"That was what I wanted to talk to you about," Harry told her. "I didn't feel right asking you to hide the fact that we're married when apparently the entire wizarding world knows that I am married to Daphne." The young wizard decided to leave out the part about it being Draco who had finally spurred him to action.

"Harry, you do know it's not exactly legal to be married to the both of us," Luna pointed out.

"And yet I am," Harry countered with. "I admit to understanding it just as little as you do. Perhaps even a bit less actually as you were raised in the Wizarding world while I was raised in the Muggle one. Our magic seems to be fine with it though."

"This is not something that is a regular occurrence in any world, Harry," Luna replied. "It is highly irregular actually." The former Ravenclaw prefect wasn't certain why their magic had accepted the marriage, but then again Luna knew she was no expert on the subject either.

"Story of my life," Harry quipped. "Still, we can't leave them like that. Winky," Harry called only for the she-elf to appear with a soft _pop_ typical of her kind.

"Master Harry has need of Winky?" the elf asked, a broad smile on her face. The she-elf had a glow about her that Harry had never seen before. Not an actual light but there was a certain radiance that none the less seemed to emanate from the elf.

Tilting his head slightly to one side, Harry regarded the elf before him for a long moment. "Are you alright, Winky. You seem a bit different," Harry stated in a thoughtful tone as if he was trying to determine what had changed about the elf and coming up empty.

"Winky is wonderful, Master Harry!" Winky exclaimed, one hand slipping to her abdomen in a loving manner. "Winky will soon be adding another elf to the Master's household," she explained in a joyous tone.

Thankfully, Luna came to Harry's rescue as the wizard seemed to be at a loss for words. "Winky is expecting," she explained. "When is the baby due?" the petite witch inquired excitedly of the mother-elf.

"Not for some months yet, Mistress Luna," Winky replied all too happy to talk about her pending baby's arrival. "Winky's kind only be carrying our little ones for six months. Our magic helps the baby along," she explained.

"That's fantastic news, Winky!" Harry said, having finally found his voice once again. "Do you have everything you need? If you need time off, please take as much as you require. I'm certain one of the other elves would be happy to help out." The young wizard had no clue what went into a house elf giving birth but wanted to make certain that Winky was well cared for.

"Master is most kind, but Winky will be fine when the time comes. Till then I will continue to cook and clean as Master Harry requires a great deal of looking after," stated Winky matter-of-factly.

"Yes, well if there is anything I can do to help," Harry offered. "If it becomes a bit too much perhaps we can have Kreacher cook up a meal or two so you can rest."

"If Master Harry were to allow Kreacher to do that then it would be a great deal more work for Winky to straighten Master's kitchen out again afterward," the mother-elf said, looking at the ground nervously as she feared she might have spoken out when she shouldn't have.

"Right, Kreacher is not allowed to cook. Ever," Harry offered with a smile, causing Winky to nod her head slightly and return his smile with one of her own. "I called you here as I need to you to go to the library and release the witches there if you would please."

"Gladly, Master Harry," Winky replied before disappearing with a small _pop_. The she-elf was well aware that the youngest of the witches was in dire need of the loo.

It was rather predictable then when with nary a minute's passing the door to the study was thrown open and Daphne stormed in with Tracey not far behind. The irate blonde witch stopped when she saw both Harry and Luna regarding her. "Is it true?" Daphne spat out.

"Yes," Harry simply replied, seeing no reason to deny it as he had planned on telling her anyways. Luna had just upped the timetable by a bit was all.

The young witch's features seemed to crumble upon hearing that one word. It hurt so terribly bad which was something she hadn't expected. In her mind, she knew it just meant that she had fallen for the Wizard seated behind the desk far harder than she has allowed herself to believe. "Why? Why would you do that to me?" Daphne asked in a voice that trembled on the edge of tears.

For some reason, the fact that Daphne made it all about her irked the wizard. He'd already had a trying day with its fair share of strangeness. Seeing Draco had called to mind the war and memories Harry had tried in vain to forget. The fact that he knew he was in trouble for being married to both Daphne and Luna didn't help matters, though his anger was more directed at himself for being so foolish as to have caused the problem to begin with.

"Why?" Harry parroted back at the witch. "Because I could! My parents were killed by a madman when I was little, after which I was forced to live with relatives who hated the very sight of me! I managed to survive by being their house elf till my Hogwarts letter came!" Harry answered, his own temper slipping his control a bit.

"In school I find myself being lied to, manipulated and used in some colossal tug-of-war between two powerful wizards. Every year my life is at risk, and it's only through help from my friends like Hermione and Ron, as well as a healthy dose of sheer dumb luck, that I manage to survive. I finally find out why this is all happening to me and it turns out to be some codswallop of a prophecy that says I'm the only one who can kill Voldemort! Like I'm supposed to just walk up to the git and blast him away all easy-peasy like."

Harry's anger started to boil over and dragged the wizard to his feet. "Let's not forget that while I'm the only one who can apparently save the entire Wizarding world, they're all busy thinking I'm an attention-seeker and believing the rubbish that the Prophet prints. Makes them all rather endearing to me, it does! Yet off I go like a good little soldier because apparently, that is what Fate has planned for me!"

"Where the bloody hell was Fate when I stood there in the middle of the Forbidden Forest and took a killing curse from Voldemort himself? You have no idea what that is like, knowing that in the next instant you're going to die! You know what the funny bit is, even when I was about to die all I could think about were all the people I wouldn't be able to save!"

Harry gave a short bark of laughter, but there was no humor in it. The wizard's eyes were haunted by what he had experienced and had gone through during the war. "I should have known Fate wasn't through with me. Better to have me come back and finish the job like some hero out of a book! The part about being a hero that they don't tell you in those books is getting to watch your friends and those you care about die because you weren't fast enough, or smart enough, or lucky enough to save them!"

"Why? Why indeed?" Harry spat out with an angry smirk. "All my life I have had no say in anything. That prophecy dictated what my life would be. Others always decided what would be best for me to do. What would accomplish the greatest good. For once I wanted to choose. I wanted to pick something that I wanted," Harry said, his anger and turmoil blowing through the room like a storm, leaving devastation and wreckage in its wake, only to blow itself out just as quickly as it had arrived.

The young man seemed to deflate, and his eyes dropped to regard Luna who sat there with tears trickling down her face, not having known what Harry had gone through before now. None of them had known or even had a clue apparently, each focused on their own little corner of the world as it pertained to them. To hear that Harry had taken a killing curse was a bit more than Luna could handle. Harry hadn't talked to anyone, not even Ron or Hermione, about what had happened out in the forest.

"I wanted to have a say in something if only just this once. I wanted to marry someone not because of some ruddy contract but because I chose to. Because they loved me and I loved them. So I asked Luna to marry me. Because it was what I wanted and because I could."

Silence had reigned for nearly a minute before it was broken. "May I have my wand back?" Daphne requested in a clipped tone. Luna waited for Harry to nod before she passed the wand to the waiting witch. The former Slytherin spun about and stormed to the door of the study where she paused and turned back towards Harry. "Just so you know, I've been sleeping with Tracey for years! She's the one I'm in love with and couldn't marry!" Daphne yelled in anger before storming out and slamming the door behind her for effect.

"Well, I'm glad that's finally out in the open," Tracey said with forced levity into the silence that ensued after Daphne's departure. "I think I better go talk to her," Tracey added gesturing towards the door. Luna and Harry watch the auburn-haired witch hasten after her friend.

Luna rose and walked around the desk and to Harry, who was still standing. The petite witch didn't say a word, rather she slipped her arms around the wizard and hugged him tightly. Several long moments passed before Luna could find her voice to speak with. "I'm sorry, Harry. I never knew."

"You weren't supposed to know," Harry hushed her with, welcoming her warmth as he suddenly felt frigid and empty inside. "None of you were to know. I'm sorry I let that slip out."

"Are you alright?" Luna asked. While she felt that Harry needed to talk about it, the young witch knew she was no mind healer and hadn't a clue as to how to get her wizard to do just that.

"No," Harry answered after a lengthy pause.

"Will you be?" Luna inquired, lifting her head so that she could regard the wizard in her arms.

Harry gave Luna a sad little smile. "Sure," he lied.

"If there is anything I can do…," Luna offered, her words trailing off.

"I'll let you know," Harry assured her, knowing that he would never ask anything of her.

"I think I'll go find Hermione and see what she is up to," Luna said as she disengaged herself from Harry's embrace. The young witch got a distinct impression that Harry needed a few moments alone to gather his emotions and wits.

"Can you stop and see Astoria? Ask her to come see me here please," Harry requested softly. "I have something I need to discuss with her." Luna assured him that she would before reluctantly leaving. The young wizard seated himself in his chair, only then seeing the corner of a letter protruding from beneath the book he had set on his desk earlier. Recalling that Luna had mentioned a letter from Lupin Home, Harry pulled it out and opened it.

_Dear Harry,_

_The Lupin Home has received a request for the adoption of Anna. A lovely young couple has come forth and agreed to take her in and give her a kind and loving home. The young family will be by at 10 o'clock on the morning of January 22nd to collect their new daughter. Given your personal attachment to Anna, I thought you should know. I am certain Anna would greatly appreciate it if you could be there on the 22nd to see her off._

_Sincerely,_  
Padma Patil  
Lupin Home Director

**-oOo-**

Tracey watched as her lover and best friend paced angrily back and forth. Absently she couldn't help but wonder just how many passes it would take to wear a path in the throw rug under the angry witch. After leaving Harry and Luna Tracey had found the sought after witch within Daphne's own rooms, fuming about what Harry had done. _Well, at least she didn't leave this time,_ Tracey mused to herself.

"How could he do this to me?" Daphne fumed as she paced back and forth. "If he cared for me at all he would never have married Lovegood!" The young witch knew she wasn't exactly thinking rationally, but then again she was rather upset. It felt rather good to vent her feelings, even if what she was saying wasn't precisely the truth. "Bloody hell, how could he not be happy with just me?" Daphne asked, pausing in her pacing to look questioning at Tracey.

"Do you really want me to answer that or is this one of those times you just expect me to agree with you?" Tracey asked. The fact that Daphne had cursed said a great deal to Tracey. The blonde witch hardly ever swore at all, unlike herself. _She must really be furious._ Having been together for as many years as they had been Tracey knew that she could say things to Daphne that no one else could and get away with it.

"He's _my_ husband!" Daphne exclaimed, waving away Tracey's question with one hand as she started to pace again. "I don't plan on sharing him either! I should have hexed him when I was down there. No, I should have hexed them both!"

"That worked out rather well when you tried that on Luna," Tracey quipped. "I have a feeling Harry would be even harder to hex," Tracey added, deciding to leave the question of sharing for later, once Daphne had calmed down some. "He did take down one of the most power wizards in history," Tracey pointed out.

"I don't care!" Daphne spat irrationally. "Did you hear him? Because I could," she repeated in a snarky tone, mocking Harry's words from earlier. "Just who does he think he is? Like he's the only one that's had a hard life!"

"I think taking a killing curse from the Dark Lord, twice, qualifies as a bit more than a hard life," Tracey stated, ignoring the glare from Daphne that her words earned her. _In for knut, in for a galleon_ , Tracey told herself before pressing on. "He does have a point, Daph. It's not like he actually chose what happened to him."

"So that gives him the right to do whatever he pleases?" Daphne spat out.

"I would think if anyone could understand not wishing to be married against their will it would be you," Tracey soldiered on determinedly, trying to be the voice of reason. "I mean didn't you actually seek Harry out to avoid that very thing? You avoided one marriage by getting trapped into another only this time you dragged Harry along with you. How did you think he was going to respond to that? You really have no one to blame but yourself."

"I know!" Daphne yelled, stopping in place with her back towards Tracey so the other wouldn't see the look of shame on her face. As much as she hated to admit it, Daphne knew she could always count on Tracey to tell it like it was. The young witch's shoulders sagged as the fight suddenly fled her. "I know," Daphne said once again in a much softer tone of voice. "What am I going to do, Tracey?" she asked in a voice brimming with tears. "I've made such a mess of Harry's life as well as my own."

Tracey walked up behind the distraught witch and, slipping her arms about Daphne, pulled her into a hug. "I guess that depends on what you want, Daphne," Tracey said as she rested her chin on the other girl's shoulder. "First you have to decide if you want to be a part of Harry's life or not."

"We're married," Daphne said as if to remind Tracey of the fact. "It's not like I have much choice in the matter. Have you forgotten I have to give him an heir within a year or lose my magic," she stated. As if hearing the words aloud were too much, tears began to trickle down Daphne's face. "It's hopeless!"

"Perhaps not as much as you think it is," Tracey spoke softly as she turned the crying witch about to hug her properly. "I doubt if you chose to not remain here with Harry that he would force you to. He doesn't strike me as the type to do something like that. You'd still have to give him a son, but there is nothing to say that you'd have to live with Harry," Tracey pointed out.

"You think he would let us live someplace else?" Daphne asked with a loud sniffle. She thought he might, but it was rapidly becoming clear to the witch that she did not know the wizard nearly as well as she thought she did. _I don't know why that fact surprises me, we've only spent a few months together. Hardly enough time to really know each other at all._

"Us, probably," Tracey replied. "I don't know about your son though," she added, recalling just how Harry had been with the children at Lupin Home at Christmas.

Daphne realized the truth of Tracey's words. There was just no way she could see Harry not wanting his son with him if the wizard's interaction with Teddy were any indication. It was all rather a moot point anyways. "But I truly love him," she admitted.

"Then you tell him you're sorry and we figure out how to make this work," Tracey offered.

"We?" Daphne asked with a hint of a smile. Somehow she knew that she could count on Tracey to always be there for her. A part of her hoped that she could someday count on Harry to be the same way. _Hopefully, someday I'll deserve that from Harry_ , Daphne thought, vowing to do her best to earn the wizard's trust.

"Hey, you just outed us to the entire house," Tracey said with a smirk. "If you think I'm letting you go now you must still be a bit groggy from Luna's stunner."

Daphne frowned slightly, one hand absently wiping tears from her cheeks. "What are we going to do about her?" Daphne really wanted to blame Luna for everything, but she knew that wasn't the truth. If what Luna had told them was the truth, and the petite witch had no reason to lie, then she hadn't known that Daphne was already married to Harry when she accepted the wizard's proposal.

Tracey gave a small shrug. "You're willing to share Harry with me," she offered. There really was no simple solution to the problem.

"That's because it's you!" Daphne was quick to point out.

"I never said it would be easy," Tracey countered with. "If you can share with me then I guess we can share with one more?" While the thought wasn't very appealing, Tracey didn't see any other way around their current predicament.

"Of course you are assuming Harry will be agreeable to that arrangement," said Daphne, not all that confident that he would be. With Daphne's newfound uncertainty of all things Harry she could only hope that they all could work something out. _Preferably without trading hexes._

"Well," Tracey started with in a thoughtful tone, "he is rather stuck with you and Luna as he's married to you both. The real question is me," she posed. "Then again, you did say it was every man's dream to be with two witches at the same time. Three just might kill him," Tracey said with a chuckle.

"Three?" Daphne exclaimed, scandalized by the mere thought of having Luna with them at the same time. "We don't even know if Luna's preferences lean that way!" Daphne pointed out rather quickly to stop Tracey's train of thought.

"I didn't mean with us," Tracey replied with a grin. "Get your mind out of the gutter girl!" she scolded playfully, causing the other witch to break out in a blush as Daphne realized she had completely misunderstood Tracey. "It's always the proper ones," Tracey teased, causing Daphne to stammer out a denial while turning as red as a tomato.

"As much fun as it is to stand here and take the piss out of you, Daphne, we still need to figure out what we're going to do with Harry," Tracey pointed out after a bit more teasing. "You did just rather spectacularly blow up at him," she reminded the other witch.

"I really bolloxed things up once again, haven't I?" Daphne asked only to receive a nod of agreement from Tracey. "Just whose side are you on?" Daphne enquired with a small grin.

"Whichever side makes us all the happiest," Tracey was quick to reply. "Right now I think that is Harry's side, or perhaps _at_ Harry's side." The young witch was taking her own words in the library to heart. _I wouldn't allow myself to trust Harry then. Morgana knows I should have! I think I can trust him now,_ she thought as she released Daphne. _I guess I have to, considering he is married to the most precious thing I have._

Apparently, Tracey wasn't the only one to be thinking about the events in the library. "I really have been rather selfish haven't I?" Daphne asked rhetorically. Taking a deep breath and letting it out slowly, Daphne turned to face Tracey. "First thing I need to do is apologize to Harry. He wouldn't be in this situation if it weren't for me."

"I think that is a good first step," Tracey agreed. "How are you going to tell him about me and your oath?"

"I'll have to wait and see how apologizing goes before I can talk to him about you," Daphne said in a thoughtful tone as she worried on her bottom lip, lost in thought for a moment.

"Before we do that though, what are we going to do about Harry being married to the both of you? That's not exactly legal I would imagine," Tracey voiced her concerns.

"Probably not," Daphne agreed. "I wonder what the fine is? I'd imagine it can't be that bad."

"Not like they'd send him to Azkaban for it," Tracey joked, eliciting a chuckle from the other witch.

Once again Daphne took a deep breath and blew it out slowly. "I guess I've put this off long enough," she said as if trying to convince herself of the matter.

"Want I should come with you?" Tracey offered.

Daphne thought for a moment before replying. "No, I got us all into this mess. I should be the one to apologize for it," she finally said.

Tracey nodded in acceptance before giving Daphne a quick kiss and hug. "Good luck," she whispered in Daphne's ear.

The former Slytherin squared her shoulders and marched from the room as if she were going to her certain doom. Daphne wasn't proud of her actions, looking back on them in retrospect. If she were honest with herself, Luna had the right of it. _I have been self-centered and cared only about myself._ Being the intelligent witch that she was, Daphne knew it was something she would have to work on.

As Daphne descended the stairs, she saw her younger sister walking towards her with an exceptionally broad smile on her lips and a rather dreamy expression. Pausing at the bottom of the stairs Daphne waited for the younger girl to approach. "Everything alright, Tori?" Daphne enquired.

"Couldn't be better!" Astoria exclaimed in a sickeningly sweet voice. The younger Greengrass sister suddenly engulfed Daphne in a hug and squeezed her tightly. Just as quickly, Astoria released Daphne and spun aside to start up the stairs. "Isn't it a glorious day!"

Daphne turned to regard her sister with a surprised look only to see that Astoria was continuing up the stairs, her question apparently a rhetorical one. _She's certainly in a good mood,_ Daphne thought to herself as she turned back and stepped from the stairs to go apologize to Harry. Daphne's steps faltered as she heard her sister's voice behind her.

"If you're looking for Harry, he isn't here," Astoria informed her older sister. "Harry just left via broom. He said he had some business to attend to over at the Lupin Home."

Daphne sighed in frustration, realizing she would have to wait to apologize apparently. _Nothing I can do about it now I guess_ , she thought, seeing no reason to chase after the wizard as he would eventually return home and she could just tell him then. Daphne retraced her steps to her sister's side before slipping an arm around the younger girl. "So, tell me what has you in such a good mood."

"Oh, you won't believe it!" Astoria exclaimed excitedly, "Harry canceled the marriage contract!"

**-oOo-**

Luna found Hermione exactly where she expected the witch to be, in the library. It was with no small amount of trepidation that the former Ravenclaw approached the older witch. She had just admitted, not all that long ago, to sleeping with the man that Hermione was in love with after all. There was an assortment of various books and scrolls spread about the table at which Hermione sat, her face buried in a rather large tome. "What are you doing?" Lune enquired.

"The only thing I'm apparently good for," Hermione replied sullenly without even looking up from the book she was reading. "Helping Harry get out of another mess he's managed to get himself into," Hermione clarified. "I don't know why I'm surprised? I've done the same thing every year since we first met. I was foolish to think it would just stop once Voldemort was dead." she declared a bit bitterly.

Glancing around at the books Luna pulled one over noting it was a book on Wizarding law. "Mind if I help?" she asked. Taking Hermione's silence for acceptance, Luna pulled out a chair and seated herself. The two worked in silence for a while, reading through the rather dry verbiage of the law books, before Hermione finally broke the silence.

Hermione lifted her head and set the quill she had been taking notes with aside. "What I don't understand is why. You had to have known how I felt about Harry? So how could you?"

"How could I not?" Luna countered with. "Yes, I knew how you felt. The entire school has known for years just how the two of you have felt about each other. The only ones who apparently didn't know were you and Harry. Was I just supposed to ignore my feelings for Harry on the off chance that you might come to your senses sometime within the next decade?"

"Yes, that's exactly what you were supposed to do!" Hermione exclaimed, being a bit unreasonable. "Friends don't steal their friend's boyfriends!"

"Harry may be a boy, and he may be your friend, but he has never been your boyfriend," Luna pointed out. "You might be able to fool the others, but I know that Harry has as yet to tell you that he loves you."

"He most certainly has," Hermione refuted the other girl's words vehemently. "Not that it is of any concern of yours what Harry and I talk about," she added testily.

"Rubbish!" Luna replied, giving no quarter. "If Harry had told you then you would have been floating around here on cloud nine just as I was when he told me," Luna pointed out. "I saw the look on your face when Daphne said that Harry had declared his love for her. You looked like someone had just made off with your copy of _Hogwarts: A History_."

"All of you abandoned Harry," Luna pressed on before Hermione could adequately deny her accusations. "You left him here all by himself feeling miserable and believing that he had done something terribly wrong to Daphne. All Harry ever does is try to help people the best way that he can. He took Daphne in when she had no place to go. Allowed Andi and Teddy to move in so that he could help her raise Teddy. He even let Tracey move in so Daphne would have a friendly face and not feel all alone."

"You, he has perhaps done the most for," Luna pointed out. "Harry went to Australia to help you look for your parents even though his girlfriend at the time was dead set against it. I've known Ginny since I was a toddler and I'll wager that Harry got more than an earful when he told her what he was planning. You needed him, and so Harry dropped everything to assist you."

"It isn't the first time he's done that either, is it?" Luna asked only to see the witch across from her give a small shake of her head. "He left his date with Cho to be with you as I recall. In the Department of Mysteries, I saw the look on Harry's face when he saw you get hit by that curse. If you had died there I think we would have lost Harry as well, you mean that much to him."

"When I came home that night I found Harry down in the basement drinking himself silly with Kreacher. I could see Harry was hurting and there was no one about to comfort him. He looked so lost," Luna recalled, her eyes losing their focus a bit as she remembered that evening. "By then I had already decided to give myself to him. Why wait and let our magic force us into it?" the young witch asked rhetorically.

"I told Harry I loved him because I did but also because I think he really needed to hear it," Luna continued with though it was as if she was speaking to herself rather than Hermione by now. "Do you know what he did?" Luna asked suddenly, her silver orbs focusing once again on Hermione. "He cried. He told me that no one had ever said that before. Can you imagine growing up your entire life without once being told you were loved?"

"It's amazing that he's turned out the way that he has," Luna continued without waiting for an answer to her question. "Harry is so loving when he has never received love of any kind, at least not till just recently. How can someone who has never known love be so selfless and giving of themselves?" Luna asked, pausing to see if Hermione had an answer. Seeing the witch shrug Luna continued.

"I gave that a bit of thought and came up with the only answer that actually made any sense," Luna told Hermione. "There isn't anything Harry wouldn't do for those he cares about. He would give the clothes off his back, the food out his mouth. He'd even die for them," Luna stated, not surprised to see the surprised look that came over Hermione's features.

"Do you know what happened when Harry went out into the Forbidden Forest to face Voldemort?" Luna asked. "Did he ever tell you?"

Once again Hermione gave a shake of her head. "I offered to go with him, but Harry wouldn't hear of it. I assumed he dueled Voldemort," said Hermione, only to realize that Harry had been carried back by Hagrid to Voldemort's proclamation that the wizard was dead. Hermione hadn't thought much about it as Harry hadn't died and had sprung into action shortly after that, finally killing the Dark Lord. She had never really questioned what had happened, believing that Harry had tricked Voldemort into thinking he had perished.

"It wasn't a ruse as many believed," Luna informed Hermione as if she were reading the witch's mind. "Harry walked out into the forest and stood there, all alone, and let Voldemort hit him with a killing curse."

Hermione gasped, one hand flying to her lips in disbelief as tears collected in the corners of her eyes. "That can't be! How do you know that for certain?"

"Harry told us a little while ago," Luna explained. "I'm sure he didn't mean to, but Daphne managed to get him a bit angry and it just sort of slipped out. He said his last thought was disappointment about the people he couldn't save. Who would do something like that?" Luna asked. "I had to think about it for a bit before I finally figured it out. Someone who felt that their life wasn't worth very much, certainly far less than any others."

"If no one loves you then what's the point of living?" Hermione asked aloud as she pondered what Luna had said. While some might argue her statement, the intelligent woman knew that humans were social creatures who strove for the love and affection, as well as the approval of others. _Harry has had very little of any of those._ Hermione found that she could actually believe that about Harry now that Luna pointed it out. _I should have noticed it sooner_ , she thought, reasoning that maybe it was a case of being too close to see the obvious.

Luna gave a brief nod of agreement. "But that's not the case now," the younger witch pointed out. "You love Harry. I do too, as well as Daphne and Tracey, Andi and Teddy. Let's not forget Anna and the other children at Lupin Home. He just doesn't see it I think."

"This is Harry so more than likely he doesn't believe it," Hermione offered, knowing the man better than any other. For years it had been her mission to keep Harry alive and in one piece, even when he was hell-bent on doing otherwise. "He just doesn't see himself being worthy of love, I think. Harry has trouble sleeping at night," Hermione shared, recalling the time she had gone to speak with Harry only to have Kreacher prevent her from doing so. The bushy-haired witch realized that she probably didn't have to tell Luna that as she would already know.

"He drinks excessively as well," Luna added. "When he does sleep, it is fitful, and he has bad dreams most nights. I've had to wake him a time or two. More often than not he is already up when I stir in the morning. I think one of the reasons he has such an extensive library and is always adding to it is so he doesn't run out of books to read. The man hardly sleeps at all and passes the nights with reading."

"So what do we do about it?" Hermione posed, her anger at the younger witch all but forgotten, eclipsed by her concern for Harry. Rationally Hermione could understand why Luna had done what she'd done. _If it had been me I probably would have done the same thing_ , she thought, experiencing a little shiver at the thought of taking Harry to bed. "This is Harry we're talking about so the fact that he is married to the two of you is going to come out sooner rather than later."

"Then we continue to do what we're doing," replied Luna calmly. "We try and find a way to get him out of this latest mess he's in." The two returned to their research, and for a while, there was nothing but the sound of turning pages and the scratching of quills in the library. "Hermione?" Luna said, breaking the silence finally. Seeing the other witch looking at her expectantly the petite witch gave voice to her question. "Are we alright?"

Hermione sighed, setting her quill aside so as not to drip ink on her parchment and have to recopy her notes onto a clean sheet. "I can't say that I am thrilled that you slept with Harry," the witch answered truthfully. "That really hurt. However, I can understand your reasons. The fact that you were attempting to help Harry too is something I can't overlook either. I love Harry, and I know he loves me, even if he hasn't said so as yet," Hermione confessed. "Everything has just gone pear-shaped so quickly!"

"This entire thing has been a series of misfortunate events, none of which were really your fault, Luna, or anyone's for that matter. I'm certain you didn't know your father was going to call Harry to St. Mungo's and then extract an oath from him. No more than we knew Daphne's father was going to trick Harry into a marriage contract. Given the circumstances, I can't honestly say that I wouldn't have done the same thing you did."

"So you would have shagged Harry's brains out till he couldn't move and finally succumbed to sleep?" Luna deadpanned with a straight face.

"What?" Hermione exclaimed, her cheeks taking on a red hue to them at the thought of doing something like that. "Certainly not!" Hermione added deep into a full blush by that time.

"And here I thought we were being honest with each other," Luna quipped, making the cutest pouty face.

The blushing witch worried her lower lip for a long moment as her eyes darted about to ensure they were alone. "Not senseless, but once or twice wouldn't be bad," Hermione admitted, doing a fair impersonation of a Weasley.

**-oOo-**

Astoria Greengrass lay back on her bed and couldn't help but replay what had happened earlier that day in her head. It hadn't started off as the best of days. Being stunned and then tied to a chair probably wasn't at the top of anyone's list of things to do after all. Learning the dynamics of Harry and all the witches currently staying at Westfield had certainly been an eye-opener. _I'm glad I haven't set my sights on Harry. I doubt I would fare very well given all of them here already._

The youngest of the Greengrass sisters had been called to Harry's study. Stepping into the room Astoria had knocked upon the open door, drawing the wizard's attention. "You wished to speak with me…what do I call you? Mister Potter? Mister Greengrass? Mister Black?" she asked a bit nervously. This was Harry Potter after all. The Vanquisher of Voldemort, the Chosen One, the Savior of the Wizarding world!

"Harry will do fine," the wizard said with a grin as he beckoned her to enter. "Please have a seat," Harry instructed with a gesture towards the two seats situated before his desk. "Other than today, how have things been going? Everything alright? Need anything?"

"No, I'm fine. Everything has been going splendidly," Astoria assured Harry as she took a seat. "I greatly appreciate you allowing me this time with Daphne. Even when she was at school, we didn't see that much of each other. Different glasses, different schedules, and different friends," Astoria explained.

"Yes, well, we're family now," Harry stated. "You're welcome here anytime you'd like," he assured Astoria. "Speaking of family, I recently assumed the Greengrass Head of House," Harry offered, lifting his hand and allowing the Greengrass Head of House ring to appear to remind the younger witch of his status. "I'm not certain if you are aware of it or not but there is currently a marriage contract between House Greengrass and House Malfoy for your hand."

"Yes, father had informed me that such an arrangement had been made," Astoria replied in a rather detached and emotionless voice. The young witch wasn't certain what Harry would do and decided to play it rather indifferently until such time as she knew his intentions.

Harry was fairly sure he knew the answer to his next question but asked it none the less. "How do you feel about that?" If he hadn't just recently met Draco Harry would have been willing to bet that there wasn't a witch alive who would have wanted to marry the git. However, it appeared as though the Malfoy scion had changed since the war and now Harry wasn't so confident of his speculation.

"I'm prepared to fulfill my obligation as an obedient daughter of the Greengrass family," Astoria assured her Head of House. The young witch was sitting up straight and proper like with a serious countenance which Harry couldn't quite read. "If my Head of House feels that it is best for the family that I marry the Malfoy heir then I shall."

Harry gave a small sigh, seeing that this wasn't going to be easy. "I didn't ask you what you thought I wanted. I want to know what your wishes are, Astoria," Harry replied.

"I am a woman of House Greengrass," Astoria stated. "My father taught me that my wishes were of little matter."

"That may be. However, I am not your father," Harry pointed out, hating the man even more for what he had apparently done to the witch before him. "Your wishes and wellbeing mean a great deal to me," Harry added. Upon seeing that the witch planned on saying nothing further, he continued. "Apparently for some reason, your well-being also means a great deal to Draco Malfoy as he's asked that I cancel the marriage contract between the two of you."

"Really?" Astoria exclaimed in surprise, to which Harry simply gave a nod of confirmation. "He really did it," the young witch said aloud to herself, a look of wonder appearing upon her features. "I can't believe he actually did it."

"Did what?" Harry inquired, worried that maybe he had read Draco wrong and the git hadn't changed at all.

Astoria looked up at Harry only then realizing that she had spoken aloud. A deep blush spread across her features at having been heard. "Draco and I had been spending time together while at Hogwarts," she slowly explained to the waiting wizard. "There weren't a great many that wanted to be associated with the son of a former Death Eater," Astoria said.

"I was rather surprised to find that Draco wasn't the man most others thought him to be. He was kind and considerate as well as thoughtful and caring. Everything a former Death Eater shouldn't be. Did you know he took the Dark Mark?" Astoria suddenly asked only for Harry to nod that he had known. "I didn't believe him at first, at least not until he showed it to me."

"I told Draco I bet he had wished he hadn't agreed to that now and he looked at me and said he was glad he'd taken it," Astoria informed Harry in the distracted tone people get when they are thinking about some event from their past. "When I asked him why he said because it reminded him every day just how stupid and foolish he had been. He hoped it would prevent him from ever making the same mistake a second time."

"It sounds as though you two talked a great deal," Harry voiced.

"We did," Astoria conceded. "Word of it must have reached my father as it wasn't long after that that the marriage contract came to be. I guess father didn't want to risk the chance that Draco would take liberties with my person and so he withdrew me from school. Being unsoiled I'm apparently worth more. Father said that it was one of the largest bride prices that he had ever heard of in the last few hundred years."

Harry recalled Draco stating that he could keep the bride price. Once again the wizard couldn't help but marvel at the changes in his rival. _Being in love really has changed him_ , Harry thought to himself. "So Draco was in favor of the marriage contract?"

"At first," Astoria replied. "Draco came to me the night before I was to leave Hogwarts and confessed his love to me. I was already very taken with him by that time of course and saw no reason not to tell him so. All my classmates and friends tried to persuade me to leave him be and that he was no good for me, but I saw something. There was something in Draco, and I just couldn't let it be as I was certain it would wither and die without me there to nurture it."

"Draco was none too pleased that father was pulling me from Hogwarts. I'm sure he felt it was rather unfair to separate us just when we had found each other. He said that everything would be alright as we'd be together because of the marriage contract and once married, no one would ever come between us again," Astoria told with a small chuckle.

"I explained to him that I didn't want to be together because of some marriage contract. The fact that we loved each other should be the only reason we would be married. We actually had a bit of a row over it, truth be told," Astoria admitted. "When I left in the morning Draco came to see me off. I informed Draco that if he honestly loved me and wanted me to marry him, then he would find a way to break the contract."

"It would appear that he took your words to heart," Harry voiced, begrudgingly offering up a bit of respect for the wizard. The two sat in silence, each lost in their own thoughts for several long moments. "So you love him, but you don't want to marry him?" Harry eventually asked just to be certain he understood things correctly.

"Not like that I don't," Astoria confirmed.

"Very well," Harry acknowledged. "I'll see that the contract is canceled then." It was what he had planned to do from the start, but he had at least wanted to hear Astoria's thoughts on the matter. Harry certainly hadn't expected to hear the tale that he had. It is hard to think of Draco actually loving anyone other than himself. From what little Harry had seen, Draco hadn't treaty Pansy bad while at Hogwarts but rather with indifference. _It was as if he had tolerated her presence at best._

"Harry," Astoria said, drawing the wizard's thoughts from where they had wandered. "Might I ask a favor?"

"It never hurts to ask," Harry advised with a small grin.

"Should Draco ask for permission to court me," intoned the nervous witch, "would you please find it acceptable?"

It was with a sudden spark of surprise that Harry realized that one day he and Draco might very well be related by marriage. _I'm not entirely certain how I feel about that._ Looking over his desk at the hopeful expression on the younger girl's face there really was only one answer Harry could give. "If that is what you wish," he replied, only to see Astoria's face light up with a blazing smile as she nodded her head implicitly.

The young wizard stood and walked around his desk. "If you'll excuse me now, I have to make a trip over to Lupin Home to check on a few things," Harry explained as he ushered Astoria out the door.

"I have heard some wonderful things about that place," Astoria told Harry as she walked beside him towards the front door. "I would like to come and see it if I might?"

"Perhaps another time," Harry offered as he took his Firebolt out of the closet beside the front door. "When I have more time available and can give you a proper tour?"

Astoria agreed and saw the wizard off before making her way back up to her room so she could write a different wizard a letter. _Now, what sort of hint can I drop to get Draco to ask Harry to court me_? The happy witch mused with a dreamy expression on her face.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Before I get to the actual AN I just want to take a moment and thank everyone who has read, followed, favored or those who went above and beyond, taking the grueling few minutes it takes to leave a review. I can't tell you how much it means to me to read your words and to know that this little piece of brain ooze of mine is enjoyed by so many! My sincere thanks and appreciation to you all!
> 
> I think this might be the first time in the story where I messed things up good and proper like only to straighten it all back out again without making you wait till next week…or next month. In case you haven't realized it yet, Harry has issues of his own. Everyone else in this story has their own problems so of course, he does too. Were you surprised by Astoria and Draco? I tried to make it not so obvious. I have a feeling she'll be good for him. Let me know what you think.
> 
> As always, your reviews are not required, but they are greatly appreciated.
> 
> Kind Regards,
> 
> EJ Daniels
> 
> All characters within this story, unless otherwise stated are the sole property of J. K. Rowling the original writer of the Harry Potter series.


	27. One Straw Too Many

**Chapter 27 – One Straw Too Many  
. . .**

Harry jumped from his Firebolt and shrank it with a silent spell before slipping it into a pocket for his return trip. The young wizard entered the Lupin Home as quietly as possible so as not to be noticed. The last thing he wanted at the moment was to draw attention to himself. For once luck was with Harry, and he managed to reach the stairs without being seen by any of the residents. Quickly ascending the steps, Harry made his way to the suite of rooms he had given Anna, only to see that the door was open.

"I thought I might be seeing you," the young girl greeted him warmly, looking over from the easel she had been focused on.

Harry returned the smile with one of his own as he regarded the small girl with a paintbrush in hand. "I heard you were working on a new masterpiece and thought I would come and steal a look," Harry teased.

"You know the rules," Anna reminded Harry matter-of-factly. "No looking till I'm finished with it."

"Not even a peek?" Harry asked plaintively.

"Absolutely not!" Anna assured him, having been through this with Harry several times previously.

"Fine," Harry relented reluctantly. Taking a seat on the couch, the young wizard watched the small girl work. Anna was once again wearing her necklace which hid her scars behind a glamour. The petite girl's brow was creased in concentration as she worked the brush against the canvas. Given Anna's chestnut eyes, dark brown hair and rather serious countenance at the moment, Harry thought she resembled a very young version of Hermione.

"So I guess you heard?" Anna asked a bit nervously after the comfortable silence had gone on for a fair bit. "Miss Susan said she would tell you."

"One of the twins sent me a note," Harry replied. Truth be told the young man was not happy about it in a purely selfish way though. Harry had become more than a little attached to the small girl and it pained him rather deeply to know that she would be leaving. He had thought, more than once, about adopting Anna and had quickly dismissed the notion each time. _I can't even go out in public without drawing a crowd, how could I possibly drag her into something like that?_ There was also the fact that Harry felt far too young to be a parent, especially one with a child Anna's age.

Harry had little doubt what the wizarding world would think about him adopting a child. Given that Anna was a non-magical there would be inevitable outrage from some, though not all. _She would instantly be the target of all manner of foolishness_ , he had reasoned correctly, recalling what had happened to Hermione after Skeeter's article in the Prophet during their fourth year. In the end, he had decided it would be better for the girl to have a normal life with normal parents. _There's hardly anything normal about my life_ , Harry mused sadly. The irony of wanting for Anna what Dumbledore had wanted for him did not escape Harry's notice.

Taking in Harry's lack of further response, the small girl became a great deal more worried. "Ar…are you all right with it?" Anna stammered, keeping her eyes on the canvas before her rather than daring to look in Harry's direction and see the possible disapproval upon the man's face. Harry was her knight in shining armour. The very last thing Anna wanted to do was be the cause for his disapproval.

Harry, perhaps catching the worried tone in Anna's voice, forced his lips into a smile for her sake. "I just want you to be happy, Anna," he assured her. "No matter where you go or who you're with, you'll always be my girl."

"You mean that?" Anna asked with a hopeful look in Harry's direction.

"Really. Really," Harry replied with a nod of his head as the young girl hastily set her brush and paint palette aside and rushed across the room to launch herself into his arms. Catching the airborne projectile, Harry hugged her tightly for a long moment before settling Anna in his lap. "So tell me about them."

"The mum is very pretty," Anna said with her head laying on Harry's shoulder. "She tells the most wonderful stories!" the young girl added a bit excitedly. "The dad seemed to be mostly worried about if I was being treated all right or if I needed anything. He gives really great hugs though!"

"So you like them?" Harry asked only to feel Anna's head nod against his shoulder that she did. Anna's words hurt Harry, though that was not her intention he knew. It was his own jealousy that someone else other than himself made her happy in such a manner. While rationally he knew he should be happy for her, and he was, Harry hated the thought of losing her. "Do they have any other children?"

"Not that I know of," Anna replied after a moment of thought. "I think I would like to have a brother or a sister. Maybe I can ask Father Christmas for one?" Anna posed in a hopeful tone.

Harry gave a small chuckle upon hearing her words. "I think even Kris might have a problem with delivering upon that request," he told her with a grin. "You think they will make good parents for you then?"

Again Anna was quiet for a long moment before she finally replied, "I think they'll make the best parents, Harry. You'll come see me off won't you?" Anna asked a bit anxiously.

"Just try and keep me away," Harry replied. "I'll be sure and visit as often as I can," he told her. _Anna's new parents must be magical_ , Harry mused, _I doubt non-magicals would have learned of the Lupin Home._ "How else am I going to spy on your paintings?" he teased.

"Harry James Potter, don't you dare!" Anna scolded, sitting up and giving the wizard a stern look.

"All right, all right, I won't," Harry quickly said, raising one hand in surrender as the other was currently holding the girl in his lap. "So what would you like to do today?" Harry asked, deciding that a change of topic was in order.

Anna's eyes lit up, and Harry knew what was coming even before the words left the petite girl's lips. "Let's go flying!" Ever since Harry had first taken Anna up on his broom, the small girl had begged for a ride every chance she got. "Oh please, can we?" she begged excitedly with big brown hopeful eyes.

Knowing that all too soon these opportunities would probably come to an end, Harry wasn't about to disappoint the girl. "It seems that I just can't say no to you," he replied, eliciting a squeal of pure joy from the small child. Harry stood and carried Anna over to the French doors that let out onto one of the few balconies that the Lupin Home had. It wasn't long before Anna's shouts of ' _Go Faster_ ' were ringing across the landscape.

**-oOo-**

The hour was late when Harry finally returned to Westfield Manor. His and Anna's broom ride had alerted the other children to Harry's presence, and it wasn't long before a crowd of them had gathered to watch. Each little face stared up at the speeding broom, desperately wishing for their turn to go flying as well. Anna graciously relinquished her seat to allow others to have a chance at flying. This continued for some time till Susan came and called them all in for the evening meal.

Harry gave a wry smile at the recollection of the boisterous meal that had been. _A bit different than what I'm used to here_ , Harry thought as he climbed the stairs and walked into the manor. If anything, meals at the Lupin Home reminded Harry of his time at Hogwarts within the great hall at meal times. Stowing his broom in the cupboard next to the door, Harry noted that the house was relatively quiet. After the meal he had spent time with Anna in her room, finally tucking her in and reading her a story.

The young wizard decided that he wasn't tired just yet and headed for the library to do a bit of reading for himself, as was his custom on most nights. Harry slipped through the door only to notice that the library wasn't as empty as he had thought it would be. "Hey," Harry offered with a smile to the witch seated at one of the tables with an assortment of books open before her.

"Hey, yourself," Andi replied with a warm smile looking over the rim of a pair of small reading glasses. "You're home late."

"I didn't know you wore glasses?" Harry stated with a surprised look.

"Normally I don't but if there is a fair amount of reading to do I've found I need them or my eyes grow tired," Andi explained.

"They look good on you," Harry complimented the witch. The glasses gave Andi a sort of sophisticated, studious sort of look that Harry thought was rather fetching with her new hair style. _Who doesn't find a smart witch attractive?_ "Would it disturb you if I did a bit of reading?" Harry asked.

"No, that's fine," Andi assured Harry, pleased by the compliment. Andi was a bit self-conscious about her glasses and wore them in the company of others as little as possible. "I'm just doing some work for my class."

Harry gave a nod of understanding before walking to a nearby bookcase and selecting a book at random. The young man made his way to one of the many couches and dropped onto it, setting the book aside for the moment. Harry felt a bit drained and weary. It had been a rather emotional day and the evening spent with Anna hadn't helped at all. Leaning his head back, Harry closed his eyes and tried to collect his thoughts.

"Want to talk about it?" Andi enquired from her place at the table.

"Am I that obvious?" Harry asked without opening his eyes.

"Well, it's either that or you're preparing for a spelling contest," replied Andi with a hint of amusement in her tone.

Harry rolled his head to the side and cracked open one eye to regard the witch in a curious fashion. Seeing Andi nod toward the book next to him, Harry looked a bit closer at it only to discover it was, in fact, a dictionary. "Would you believe I'm trying to broaden my vocabulary?" Harry asked in a slightly hopeful, mildly amused, tone as he looked back at the grinning witch.

"Considering you live with some rather intelligent women, that might not be a bad thing," Andi replied playfully.

"There is something about an intelligent woman," Harry commented with an appreciative smile as he rolled his head back and closed his eye once again. "Damn sexy, the lot of you."

Andi could feel her cheeks blush slightly as Harry had included her in his statement apparently. It was becoming increasingly difficult for the single witch to think of Harry as just her cousin and not as the fine young man he had grown into. It was the young part of that which prevented her from acting on what her heart and night time dreams were apparently telling her.

Rising from her place at the table, Andi made her way over and took the seat on the couch beside the resting wizard. "Harry, I hope you know that you can talk to me about anything. We are family, after all, so we have to be able to depend on each other." Reaching out she took his hand in hers and gave it a reassuring, gentle squeeze. "Care to tell me what is bothering you?"

"Anna," Harry finally said after a lengthily pause. "There is a couple who have adopted her. They will be here to take her home on the 22nd."

"And that's a good thing, isn't it?" Andi asked hesitantly as Harry's tone had been anything but jovial. Andi could well understand how Harry must be feeling. It was no secret to anyone that Anna held a special place in Harry's heart. _This must be terribly hard on him_ , she thought to herself.

"It is!" Harry exclaimed, frustration slipping into his words as he pulled his hand from Andi's and ran it through his hair. "It is, and yet," Harry sighed heavily, "I don't want her to leave. Does that make me a terrible person?" Harry asked, looking at Andi pleadingly.

"No, Harry, that does not make you a bad person," Andi assured him. "It just means that you love Anna and don't want to lose her," the older witch explained. "It would be no different if it were Teddy, I should imagine."

The thought of losing Teddy sent a shiver down Harry's spine and made him feel a little nauseous. It was the same feeling he got whenever he thought of Anna leaving. _Why can't she just stay here_ , he lamented to himself silently. Just as quickly as he asked the question, he answered it as well. _She needs a family of her own_. Harry stared at the floor a few feet in front of the couch as he recalled everything that had happened with the petite girl.

"Did I ever tell you how we first met?" Harry asked without turning to look at Andi. Catching the witch giving a short shake of her head in his peripheral vision, Harry continued. "The Lupin Home had only been open for a week or so. I started to hear about a particular young girl that lived in a cupboard of all places. The elves said that she wouldn't come out, not for anyone, and so they had taken to delivering her meals to her there in the cupboard." Harry could well recall that day and how Anna had come to be a part of his life. With a small smile upon his lips, Harry recounted his tale.

"And she won't come out?" Harry asked the elf walking beside him. He had arrived at the newly christened Lupin Home only to once again hear about one of its residents who had taken up in a cupboard. Harry, perhaps better than most, knew just what living in a cupboard was like. The fact that it was a young girl was cause for concern for the wizard.

"We's trying to get her to come out," the clearly upset elf explained, wringing his hands. "Lolly even be removing hers with magic, but the young Miss put up an awful fuss till she was in the cupboard again, Master Harry Sir. Middy be saying that the poor thing was scared and it be best to leave her be."

"Thank you, Linny," Harry replied to the elf beside him as they arrived at the cupboard on the second floor. The Black family elf gave a brief nod and then disappeared with a small pop. Harry stared at the closed door for a long moment trying to decide what to do. The young man gave a slight shrug before reaching out and knocking on the door. _It would be terribly rude if someone just barged into my house without knocking first_ , he thought.

At first, there was no answer. Harry was just reaching out to knock again when a small frightened voice asked, "Who is it?"

"Your landlord," Harry replied, thinking it a suitable answer.

Once again there was a lengthy pause before Harry received a response. "What's a landlord?"

"A landlord is someone who owns the building you're currently living in," Harry explained rather simply.

"What do you want? I haven't done anything," the voice stated.

"I've come to collect the rent," Harry replied, hoping that if it sounded official enough that maybe the child would comply.

"What's rent?" the voice in the cupboard enquired.

"It's what you pay to the person who owns the property…," Harry started to say before stopping. "Look, can you come out here so that we can have a proper conversation? I feel a bit odd talking to a door."

"I'm not coming out! Not ever!" the voice exclaimed in a frightened tone.

Harry thought for a long moment. He could easily remove the girl from the cupboard. However, he didn't want to upset her any more than she already was. "Fine then. Can I at least come in?"

"No one's ever asked that before," the voice in the cupboard stated in a slightly surprised tone after the lengthy pause. After a few seconds, the door opened just a crack. When the door didn't open further, Harry squatted down and opened it just enough for him to crawl in on his hands and knees. In the light, he could see that there were a number of pillows as well as a couple of blankets that the elves had apparently provided for her.

The cupboard was larger than it ought to be on the inside, so there was plenty of room for the two of them inside it. _I'll have to thank the elves for making certain she is at least comfortable_. Closing the door behind himself, Harry made his way to the back of the cupboard and sat with his back against the wall. He had seen the girl's feet in the opposite corner, though the rest of her had been covered by one of the blankets. "Hi. I'm Harry. What's your name?"

"Anna," came the slightly muffled reply from the girl.

"It's a pleasure to finally meet you, Anna," Harry replied. "Do you mind if we have a bit of light?"

"No!" yelled Anna, startling Harry a bit as he hadn't been expecting such a strong reaction to his request. "No light!"

"All right then," Harry assured her. The two sat in silence for a bit before Harry spoke. "Are you scared, Anna? Is that why you stay in here?" Hearing no reply, Harry continued. "You may not know it, but I spent the first eleven years or so of my life living in a cupboard. I didn't really like it much, but I did feel safe there. It was home after all."

There was the slight rustling of material, leading Harry to believe that the girl had pulled the blanket covering her down. "I don't have a home now," Anna said sadly.

"Well, this can be your home for as long as you'd like," Harry told Anna softly. "Though I think we can find you a better room than this to sleep in. Even I eventually got my own room."

"Did you really live in a cupboard?" Ann asked.

Harry nodded even though Anna couldn't see it. "A bit narrower than this one, but longer as it was under the stairs. My cousin Dudley used to come down them in the morning and make an awful racket just because he knew I was in there."

"Were you hiding?" Anna inquired. "Was that why you were under the stairs?"

"My relatives who brought me up didn't want anyone to know I lived there," Harry explained, "so they kept me under the stairs."

"Why didn't your mum and dad bring you up?" Anna asked.

"They died when I was a baby," Harry told her.

"My mum and dad are dead too," Anna said in a sad tone. "I don't have a family anymore," the girl added, sounding as if she were on the verge of tears.

Harry racked his brain trying to think of something to say to make the girl feel better, but nothing came to mind. Harry knew he wasn't a great orator like Professor Dumbledore had been, a fact he was currently lamenting, certain the grandfatherly wizard would have had just the right phrase to use to show the silver lining of the situation to Anna. Slipping his wand from his pocket, Harry did the one thing he could think of, " _Expecto Patronum_."

Whereas before Harry's patronus had been on the overly large size the wizard knew that it wouldn't fit in the cupboard where they currently were. The bright white stag, when it appeared, was no more than a few inches tall and pranced about upon the air as if it were looking for danger. Hearing Anna gasp at the sight of the majestic animal Harry smiled proudly. "This is Prongs, my friend. I named him after my father."

"Your father's name was Prongs?" Anna asked as she inched closer to get a better look at the conjured creature. The light from the prancing stag illuminated Anna's face as she stared in wonder.

Harry only barely managed not to gasp at the scarred visage that his patronus showed. "No, of course not. That would be silly," Harry replied as he plastered a grin on his face. "His name was James, but when he took his Animagus form he was a stag, and his name was Prongs."

"Your dad could turn into this?" Anna asked in wonder.

The smile on Harry's face became real for a moment as he began to wonder if Anna would ever run out of questions. "Well, not all white and bright like Prongs here," the wizard tried to explain. "He could turn into a real stag though, just as solid as you and I."

"Can you turn into one?" Anna asked as she watched Prongs walk up to her and brush his lips against her cheek. The sensation filled her with warmth, and for the first time since the attack on her home, Anna felt that things might be all right someday. The resplendent stag, filled with Harry's good memories, brought hope to Anna even if she didn't realize it at the time.

"No," Harry admitted. "That's a rather complicated bit of magic that is," he went on to explain in his own defense.

"Harder than this?" Anna inquired before giggling. "He licked me!" the smiling girl exclaimed.

"I think he likes you," Harry told her with a genuine smile. The young wizard recalled Professor Lupin telling him that the Patronus Charm was an exceptionally difficult piece of magic. ' _Far beyond Newt level_ ' he recalled the man telling him. Thinking of Remus made Harry a bit sad, and for a moment he wondered what life would be like if he were still there. "I don't rightly know as I've never tried it," the wizard finally answered.

"If I could turn into an animal I would want it to be some sort of a bird so I could fly," Anna confided in Harry. "I think it would be brilliant to be able to soar high above the ground. I would go so high that everyone would look like little ants! Then I bet no one would be able to hurt me."

Harry refrained from telling her that eventually even birds need to come down to eat and rest. "I could fly up and keep you company," he offered instead. "That way you wouldn't be all alone up there."

"You can fly?" Anna asked, her eyes widening in amazement as she looked at Harry.

"Not like a bird, mind you," Harry replied, "but I'm a fairly good flier on a broom. I played Seeker for my house Quidditch team at Hogwarts."

"Never heard of Quidditch before," responded Anna matter-of-factly. "What's a Seeker do? Where's Hogwarts?"

Harry chuckled at the seemingly endless stream of questions Anna was apparently capable of. "Quidditch is a game played by witches and wizards on brooms," he explained none the less. "A Seeker is one of the positions on the team and Hogwarts is in Northern Scotland. It's where I went to school to learn to be a wizard."

"Can I be a wizard?" Anna asked in a hopeful tone.

"Wizards are boys, silly," Harry teased, "not pretty girls like yourself. You would be a witch," he told her.

"Would I have to have green skin and a hairy bump on my nose?" Anna asked, making a scrunched up ' _eww_ ' face as well.

"That is only in old movies and Halloween decorations," Harry said, setting her straight. "Real witches are no different looking than muggles."

"What's a muggle?" The inquisitive girl asked.

"It's what magical folk call those without magic," Harry replied.

"Am I a muggle?" Anna asked, fearing she already knew the answer.

"Afraid so," Harry replied, wishing it weren't so as he saw the girl's shoulders sag.

"I really wanted to go flying, even if only on a broom," Anna confessed as Prongs nuzzled her cheek in sympathy.

"Well, I can do that much for you," Harry told her. "I can take you up on my broom if you want? It will positively seat the both of us."

"Really?" Anna exclaimed loudly, startling Prongs who spun about looking for danger once again, set to protect the child if need be.

Harry gave a nod. "Certainly, but first I think we need to get out of this cupboard. I doubt there is room to do much flying in here," He added with a grin. Seeing the girl deflate and shrink back into the shadows at his words Harry asked, "Anna? Are you all right?"

It was a long moment before Anna replied. "You're wrong you know? I'm not a pretty girl. Those bad men saw to that."

Harry instantly realized that Anna wasn't hiding in the cupboard because she was afraid of being attacked again. The young girl was scared how others would react to how she looked. While he was confident that the adults wouldn't say anything Harry knew that kids could sometimes be very cruel. "What if," Harry began in a thoughtful tone, formulating a plan in his head as he went. "What if no one could see you?"

"You can do that?" Anna asked in disbelief.

"I'm a wizard, aren't I?" replied Harry rather pompously, eliciting a giggle from Anna, which had been his goal in the first place. "I'm going to use a Disillusionment Charm on you. It won't make you entirely invisible, but it will make you blend into whatever is around you. You'll become a sort of human chameleon I guess. If you stand still no one will even know you're there."

Harry reached out and tapped the girl on the top of her head, eliciting a gasp as it felt like someone had cracked a raw egg on her head and it was running down all over her. In short order, the two of them, Anna more hesitantly than Harry, left the confines of the cupboard and walked the short distance to a suite of rooms across the hall.

"Are these your rooms?" Anna asked as she looked about at the spacious room which was far larger than the bedroom she had shared with her sister.

"I was rather hoping they would be your rooms," Harry replied as he closed the door to the sitting room. "There's a bedroom through there," he added with a gesture towards an open door as he walked across the room and opened the large French doors which let out onto a balcony, one of the few Lupin Home had actually. "Now, about that ride," Harry stated as he turned to regard the barely visible girl, pulling his broom from his pocket and restoring it to its proper size.

"It still took a bit of convincing to get her to move out of the cupboard and into the rooms," Harry told Andi. "In the end, she said she wanted to paint me," Harry added with a small chuckle at the memory. "I showed up in the old clothes as she asked and she proceeded to do just that, paint _me_. I think I had paint everywhere by the time she was done!"

"I think I remember that time, shortly after Teddy and I moved in here. You came home rather a mess as I recall," Andi stated. "I can tell she means a great deal to you, Harry," Andi added sympathetically.

Harry just gave a slight nod. "It wasn't long afterward that I had a necklace made for her. It has a permanent glamour charm on it to hide her scars, so she isn't so self-conscious of them when she is out of her rooms. I told everyone there that she was ' _Harry's Girl_ ' and if they hurt her feelings, they would have to deal with me. I guess I shouldn't have worried as everyone adores her," the wizard added with a small chuckle.

Andi decided not to point out that more than likely it was his words that caused the immediate acceptance of the girl. "Teddy will be ever so heartbroken as well I think," Andi said instead. Seeing Harry's questioning look, she went on to explain, "Luna has been taking him over to the Lupin Home to play with the other children there. It seems that Anna has taken more than a passing liking to our Teddy and he to her it would appear."

"What's not to like," Harry quipped with a smug godfatherly smile that would have done Sirius proud. "Damn," Harry sighed, realizing he would have to explain Anna's absence to his godson when the time came. "Yet another thing to worry about."

"I heard you had a rather busy day here," Andi asked, deciding to change the subject. As there wasn't anything, any of them could do about Anna's impending departure. It was better not to dwell on the matter too much, she reasoned. "Care to tell me what happened?"

Harry sighed heavily. "So it would seem. From what Luna said there was an impromptu exchange of spells in here between her and the others."

"Oh, my!" Andi gasped in surprise. "Whatever could have brought that on?" she asked, knowing it had to be because of the wizard seated there beside her.

"Luna, apparently," Harry informed her. "She decided that it was time they all had a talk about a few things. I'm not certain what she meant by that, but she did tell them that she and I are married as well. As you can probably imagine, Daphne did not take to that too well."

"I would think not," Andi said with a slight nod of agreement at the young witch's actions and understanding of Daphne's reaction to the news.

"What?" Harry asked in disbelief, caught mid-step by her comment. _It almost sounded as if she agreed with Daphne's outburst_. "She tried to hex Luna of all things!" Harry pointed out sharply.

"I can't imagine it was any great joy for Daphne to discover that her husband had married another woman," Andi pointed out to Harry in a non-judgmental tone. "You were her husband first after all."

"Which I wouldn't have been if Daphne hadn't set up our little meeting in the first place," Harry retorted, not liking what he took to be the reproachful tone in Andi's voice one bit. It had already been a rather long and emotional day, and Harry was at his wits ends more or less. The fact that Andi seemed to be taking Daphne's side in this latest matter was a bit more than the young man could stand. Andi not siding with him left Harry feeling a bit betrayed.

"Well that is a rather childish way to look at it," Andi stated in a disapproving tone, not appreciating the anger directed at her for no apparent reason. "It's easy enough to push the blame off on Daphne, but by using your logic, you could just as easily say it is your fault for getting up that morning or offering to take her into your home."

"Bollocks!" Harry exclaimed, his temper getting the better of him and forcing him to his feet and away from the seated witch. "If she hadn't placed herself there on the curb that morning none of this would have happened!" Harry declared moving several feet away from Andi before turning back and looking at the witch. "I might still be married to Luna, but I most certainly wouldn't be in the situation I'm currently in!"

Andi stood and faced the angry wizard. "I thought you more mature than this," Andi stated, her words thick with disappointment. "Yet here you stand trying to push all the blame off onto Daphne when it isn't her fault. Do I need to point out that she wasn't the one who proposed to Luna, you were."

"How is it not her fault?" Harry barked heatedly. Andi's words stung his pride. _She calling me a child and making it sound as though the entire thing is all my fault!_ The angry side of Harry declared, pointedly ignoring the logic of Andi's words.

"Because she didn't know that her father would trick the two of you into a marriage," Andi explained, a bit exasperated with the thick-headed wizard while still trying to keep a hold of her own temper. _Why is he being so pigheaded about this! If anything they have both been used by Daphne's father. Surely he can see that!_

"She knew!" Harry countered with, his voice rising with each word. "She ran away from home because her father had a marriage contract ready for her," he stated triumphantly as if proving his point.

"Which means she couldn't have known about his plans and it isn't her fault," Andi was quick to counter with. "If she was already under a marriage contract then how could she have known her father would change it to ensnare the two of you. I'm certain your marriage was as much a shock to her as it was to you."

The angry wizard stared at Andi for a long moment without blinking once. "So that's it? You're taking her side?" Harry finally spat out. "So much for family!" he added in a derisive tone.

"I'm not taking anyone's side," Andi replied, the control over her Black temper slipping at last. "I'm just trying to keep you from making an ass out of yourself and-," she started to say.

"So now I'm an ass, am I?" Harry growled, cutting the witch off in mid-sentence. "Why is it that everyone feels they have to do things for me?" he asked angrily. _All my life others have been trying to tell me what was best to do. Everyone controlling my life but me_ , he reasoned. _Dumbledore, the professors, and even Sirius. Now when I'm finally supposed to have control of my life, I find that I don't have any control at all._

_Bloody hell! It's just not fair! I'm married to two witches. Probably going to end up in Azkaban for that, so I won't even be able to enjoy the fact that I'm married to two witches! Where has following the directions of others taken me? Almost killed by a professor in my first year. Nearly eaten by a basilisk in my second year. Barely avoided being kissed by a Dementor in my third year. Don't even get me started on my fourth year!_ Thoughts flew through the young man's mind at lightning speed as he stood there and fumed.

_I killed a Dark Lord for Merlin's sake! That should mean something! The prophecy was complete, and I should have had my life back, but no! Daphne had to park herself right there on the curb and just wait for me!_ Harry knew, someplace deep down inside, that it wasn't Daphne's fault but with everything that was happening in his life adding losing Anna to it was the straw that broke the hero's back.

_You are being an ass_ , Andi thought. However, with a supreme effort of will, she bit back on those words. "I'm just trying to help you, Harry," she said instead.

"I never asked for your help did I?" Harry snapped in anger and frustration. "I never asked for any of this or for any of you to help me! You can all bloody well sod off and leave me be! None of you know what it is like to be me! You haven't a clue so how could you possibly hope to help me?" Harry cried, his voice cracking with emotions barely held in check. "Why would you even want to?" he ground out under his breath and between clenched teeth.

Andi took a step backward as Harry's raw emotions were palpable in the stillness of the room and seemed to roll off him in perceptual waves. The room became charged with kinetic energy, much like during a thunderstorm, just before a lightning strike. The books began to vibrate and wobble upon their shelves as Harry's magic slipped his control. Books and other object began to swirl about the room in what quickly became a maelstrom of anything that wasn't nailed down.

In any other person, Harry's action would have been called a rather loud temper tantrum. Add in perhaps the world's strongest living wizard, and it became much more than that. Pandemonium reigned within the confines of the library which had already been repaired once that day. Books and object collided and broke apart adding to the swirling mass flying through the air with Harry at its center.

"Merlin's beard!" Andi breathed in disbelief at the display of raw power before her wide eyes. _We've been so worried about how everyone else was feeling and would handle things that we never considered how Harry was managing it_ , Andi realized suddenly, ducking a book the flew past her head.

It was easy to forget that the rather subdued and mature-appearing young man was still rather young and not very well equipped to handle everything life threw at him. _How could I have been so blind? Just because he appears to be all right doesn't mean that he is!_ Andi did the only thing she could, reaching down the witch grasped her skirt, hiked it up a bit and made a mad dash.

Harry stiffened upon feeling Andi embrace him. For a moment the world had gone a peculiar shade of gray, and it had felt as though he was lost in a fog of sorts. Andi's arms encircling Harry and pulling him to her chest jolted the wizard back to awareness. Before the distraught wizard knew what was happening the dam he had fought so hard to maintain, broke and the tears spilled forth in rough, ragged sobs.

"Ssh, it's okay. I've got you," Andi said soothingly as she placed soft, gentle kisses on the crown of the wizard's head. Harry's arm snaked around her slim waist and crushed her to him almost painfully so. Andi leaned down and rested her head atop Harry's as she pulled him in as tight as she could. "I've got you, Sweetie. I'm not going anywhere," she whispered to him.

"Why?" Andi heard Harry ask in a broken voice, raw with tears after some time had passed. "Why do these things always happen to me? Whatever could I have done for my life to be so…," the wizard's words trailed off.

"Fucked up?" Andi offered helpfully, receiving a mirthless snort from the man in her arms. "Oh, Sweetie, I wish I knew," Andi continued with as she shifted her head about and lay her other cheek again Harry's dark hair. "I wish I could take it all away from you and make it all better, truly I do!"

"I…I just feel so helpless sometimes," Harry told her with a sniffle. "People I care about, friends, family, the ones I love, are hurt or die because they are around me and there is nothing I can do about it." The sheer raw hopelessness in Harry's voice ripped at Andi's heart. "Sirius, Remus, my folks, Tonks, Fred…," Harry tried to continue only to break down in tears once more.

"It hurts, Andi. I couldn't save them, and it hurts more and more each day," Harry confessed as he clung to the witch as if she were his only lifeline. The only thing keeping him alive. "I…I don't think I can go on like this. I can't do it," he said with a small shake of his head. "I'm not strong enough."

Andi could only imagine the weight of guilt that Harry had been carrying around with him. It was not uncommon for those left behind after a war to experience survivor's guilt. "It's not your fault for what happened, Sweetie. They all knew the risks involved, and they decided on their own to do the right thing rather than the easy thing like running and hiding. I miss Ted and my Dora each and every day but I don't blame you for what happened to them, and you shouldn't blame yourself either."

"I can't begin to know what your life has been like, but if you ever want to talk about it, I am always willing to listen. Despite the odds against you, Harry, you did manage to beat the one actually responsible for everything. I think you are far stronger than you give yourself credit for," Andi told Harry as she ran her fingers through his curls tenderly. "You've managed to make it this far, haven't you?"

"Dreamless Slumber potions and fire whiskey," Harry replied.

"Sweetie, you do know that dreamless slumber potions are addictive?" the nurse in Andi pointed out. _How long has he been taking them?_ She couldn't help but wonder. _Why didn't I notice? I've been living there for months now!_ Just as quickly as she asked those questions, she knew the answer. _I've been so distracted by school and work that I didn't see the signs_.

"I've been careful," Harry assured her with a soft sniffle. Feeling that the worst of it was passed, Harry fell back to his usual façade. "I think I'm all right now, Andi. I'll be fine," and made to move away from the witch only to discover that the witch in question had no intentions of letting go of him that quickly.

"Do you have any idea how often in my line of work I hear those very same words, Harry?" Andi asked with an amused chuckle. "You're anything but all right, and I'm not letting you go till you talk to me about it," the medical witch in training added in a stern tone. Within her embrace, she felt the wizard's shoulder sag.

Harry sighed, having been caught out by the older witch. "I can't," Harry told her.

"Can't or won't?" Andi asked, lifting her head and leaning back to have a look at Harry while her arms still encircled his neck.

"Can't," Harry reiterated as he lifted his head and regarded Andi. "At least not right now. I'm just not ready for that."

Andi couldn't miss the look of fear that had entered Harry's eyes at the prospect of confronting his demons. "But when you are you'll come find me?" Andi asked as her hands absently played with the hair at the nape of his neck. _If I press him now he may never open up to me_ , she reasoned.

"I promise," Harry answered looking Andi straight in the eyes so she would know he meant it.

"All right," Andi relented after a long pause of staring into Harry's emerald orbs to ascertain the truth of his promise. "Are you going to be all right for now?"

"I'll be fi…," Harry began only to stop upon seeing Andi arch a brow at him. "Probably not," the exhausted wizard admitted reluctantly. "I feel…like spun glass, fragile. One wrong move and I think I might shatter. I don't know what to do, Andi. Help me," Harry said in such a pleading tone that the witch's heart nearly broke.

Andi gave a curt nod, accepting his words for what they were. Reaching down she took Harry's hand in hers and led him over to the couch, making certain to step over the books and items that littered the floor. Seating herself on one end of the couch she pulled the confused wizard down beside her, shifting about till Harry was laying with his head cradled comfortable in her lap.

"Andi…," Harry began to object only to be shushed.

"Quiet you," Andi instructed. "Now close your eyes and relax," she told Harry as she began to run her fingers through his hair gently. It was something she had always done for Ted, who had suffered from severe migraine headaches. Within a few minutes, she could feel Harry begin to relax under her ministrations. "We'll figure out what to do in the morning. For right now try and get some sleep."

"Andi, you'll…?" Harry tried to ask but wasn't certain how to phrase it.

"I'll be right here, Sweetie," Andi assured him, cottoning on to what he was trying to ask. "I'm not going anywhere." The medical witch knew that the day's events were about to catch up with Harry in the worst way. One did not toss around raw magic like that and not feel the effects of it. Given the rather emotional day, she suspected Harry had had before what had just happened, and she was certain the man was running on willpower alone.

Just when Andi thought Harry had actually dozed off, he spoke. "I'm sorry for what I said, Andi. I may not have asked for your help or the help of the others, but I think I truly need it. I was just too much of a sodding git to admit it at the time."

"It's all right, Sweetie," Andi replied in a soothing tone. "I know you were upset and hurting at the time. Still, I think it best we keep the whole sodding thing strictly between us. I think the others might not take that all too well."

Harry gave a small smile, finding he rather liked it when Andi called him Sweetie. With a contented sigh, the young wizard snuggled in a bit more. "Anything you say, Dear," was his sleepy reply.

"Hush you," Andi chided him softly as her hands continued to run themselves through Harry dark strands. Even after Harry's breathing deepened into real slumber the smile on the witch's face remained from being called Dear, even if only jokingly by the wizard in her lap.

**-oOo-**

Draco left his rooms just as he heard his father's voice call for his presence. The two were on their way to Gringotts to take care of some family business. Lucius had insisted that Draco accompany him, stating it was time he started to learn just how the family business was run. As much as the Malfoy heir would have preferred to remain at home, he needed to see if Potter had as yet canceled the betrothal contract between House Malfoy and House Greengrass. His father would be the first to know, being the head of the house and all.

Descending the stairs at a respectable pace, Draco spotted his father waiting impatiently near the hearth. "Father," the younger wizard voiced with a slight nod of greeting. "Sorry to have kept you waiting. I was making certain I looked presentable."

"Sometimes I wonder if I don't have a daughter," Lucius stated dryly. "I seem to have forgotten my cane in my study. Be a good boy and go fetch it for me."

"Why not have one of the house elves get it," Draco asked, wanting to get this over with as quickly as possible. It was important to stay in his father's good graces for the time being, but he didn't want to be around him any more than he needed to be.

"Because I asked you," Lucius snapped irritably.

"Yes, father," Draco quickly answered before hurrying off to fetch the missing cane. Entering the study, Draco spotted the item laying on his father's desk where the elder wizard must have forgotten it. It was only upon lifting the cane from the desk that he happened to notice a slip of paper, his eyes scanning over it and taking in its contents in an instant.

_Harry James Potter married to Daphne Annabelle Greengrass 25/12/1998 20:37 House of Black  
Harry James Potter married to Luna Constance Lovegood 26/12/1998 01:13 House of Lovegood_

Draco's eyes widened. "Bloody hell, Potter! What have you been up to?"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oh, where, oh where has EJ been you might ask? I'll simply say that Life reached out and grabbed me by the throat and yanked me away. I am by no means back, but I had most of this chapter complete for the last two months, so I finally kicked life in the bum and finished it while it was hopping about rubbing its backside. It will probably be another two months before the next one. I say this as I see the light at the end of the long dark tunnel…now I just have to hope it's not an oncoming train. Many thanks to those of you who have reached out to make certain I was alright, you know who you are.
> 
> Harry, as some have suspected before, is none too stable despite his rather calm outward appearance. Keep in mind that he is still young and let's face it, he was never really all that emotionally stable, to begin with. While many readers would like to point the finger at Daphne for this entire mess, I guess you could if you stretch it a bit, I rather think they are all just victims of circumstance. A case of being in the wrong place at the wrong time. We could be here all day pointing fingers, which is how life typically is for the most part. Drop me a review and let me know if you liked how Anna and Harry first met or not.
> 
> As always, your reviews are not required, but they are greatly appreciated.
> 
> Kind Regards,
> 
> EJ Daniels
> 
> All characters within this story, unless otherwise stated are the sole property of J. K. Rowling the original writer of the Harry Potter series.


	28. Mending Bridges

**Chapter 28 – Mending Bridges  
. . .**

The heir of the Malfoy family made his way down to breakfast lost in thought. It had been several days since Draco had learned of the dual marriages of Harry Potter and the young wizard was still no closer to deciding what to do with the information than he had been upon first discovering it. _I owe Potter_ , Draco reminded himself. _If he hadn't saved me I would have died in that room, consumed by that idiot's flames_ , he recalled, thinking of Gregory Goyle's foolish actions that day.

_I owe Potter a life debt, but is this enough to repay that?_ Draco couldn't help but wonder silently to himself as he made his way down the stairs and set off towards the dining room. _If it doesn't then I am simply giving him information for no reason. It's not like we're friends or anything_. Draco quickly recalled that if things worked out as he hoped, then he and Potter might actually be related through marriage one day. "Bloody hell!" Draco swore under his breath as he stepped into the dining room.

"I was beginning to wonder if I needed to send a house elf to fetch you," Narcissa stated with a teasing smile upon seeing her son. It hadn't taken long for the Malfoys to replace Dobby. A simple letter to the House-Elf Relocation office at the Ministry was all that was required. The wealthy family had elected to take on several house elves just in case they were to lose one again. "Look, your father has nearly finished with his breakfast already."

"I'm sorry Mother," Draco answered as he stepped to her side and leaned down to give her a peck on the cheek. "Good morning, Father," the young wizard offered as he took his plate to the sideboard and served himself. Draco wasn't surprised when all he received as a noncommittal grunt in return. "Will you be busy again today?" Draco asked. His father had been entertaining associates for the past three days. "I'd hoped you might show me more of the family business," Draco added as he seated himself at the table and prepared to eat.

"Yes," Lucius replied. "See that I am not disturbed," the elder Malfoy directed. "There is much work to be done."

"Anything I can help with?" Draco asked. The young wizard didn't know what his father was up to but the fact that there had been several members of the Wizengamot visiting over the course of the last few days spoke volumes when coupled with Harry Potter's double marriage. _Father is planning something, I'm certain of it! The question is what?_

"I think you've done more than enough already," Lucius replied, a hint of irritation seeping into his words. Seeing the confused look on his son's face, Lucius continued. "You met with Potter the other day at Gringotts, did you not?"

Caught out, there was little Draco could do but admit it. "Yes. I was concerned about the marriage contract and arranged a meeting with Potter to discuss it," Draco concluded before taking a bite of his food.

"And what did Potter say on the matter?" Lucius asked, setting his fork down and steepling his hands under his chin as he regarded his son intently.

It was evident to Draco that his father was rather irked about something, though the young wizard hadn't a clue as to what. Swallowing his food rather hastily, Draco gave an honest answer. "He would not say one way or the other, Father. He did say that he wanted to speak with Astoria first before he made any decision."

"Then perhaps she is the cause of this," Lucius growled.

"The cause of what, Lucius?" Narcissa inquired. "What is this all about?"

"I received a letter from Potter this morning canceling the marriage contract," Lucius informed them. "He has returned the Bride Price as well as paid the thousand gallon fee for backing out of the deal."

"Is there nothing we can do?" Narcissa asked, knowing that her son was more than a little taken with the Greengrass girl. Astoria Greengrass was a nice enough girl but had some peculiar notions when it came to Muggles.

"Nothing at this time," replied Lucius, apparently not pleased by the fact in the least.

"Surely there must be something that can be done, Father!" Draco exclaimed, believing it best to play the part of the scorned and dejected fiancé than to show just how happy he was with this news. _He did it! Potter did it!_ The young man thought with elation till he suddenly realized that he wasn't exactly certain what to do next. _I've done what Astoria requested but now what?_

"Must I repeat myself?" Lucius growled in an irritated tone. "I am working on something that may see things turn in our favor which is why it is important that I not be disturbed. If all goes as planned, you may very well find yourself the head of a Noble and Most Ancient House, Draco." Lucius wiped his lips before dropping the linen cloth onto his plate. "Try not to screw it up," he added as he stood and made his way from the room to see to business.

Lucius paused in the doorway and turned to regard his son piercing gaze for a long moment. "Stay away from Potter and that Greengrass girl. It would be better for everyone involved if you had as little to do with them as possible. Do I make myself clear?" Upon seeing Draco give a curt nod, the Malfoy Patriarch continued on his way.

Draco turned and regarded his mother who merely shrugged slightly. "I know as much as you do," Narcissa stated to the unasked question. "Best to leave your father be for the time being. You know how he hates to be disturbed when he is conducting business."

"Yes, Mother," Draco replied as he continued to eat his meal. Sitting back and chewing his food the young wizard was deep in thought. _I may not have been a Ravenclaw, but it isn't all that difficult to realize that there aren't that many Noble and Ancient Houses that I could be head of. I need to send Astoria a letter and see if she can arrange a meeting with Potter._ Draco didn't dare meet at Gringotts as apparently, his father had eyes there. _I hope she is happy that the marriage contract has been removed._

**-oOo-**

"I found it!" Astoria Greengrass called out excitedly, causing the other witches in the room to look up from the books they were reading.

"A way to save Harry?" Hermione was first to ask in a hopeful tone. Initially, the former Head Girl of Hogwarts wanted to be the one to find a way to help Harry. _What else am I good for?_ However, at this point, she really didn't care who found a manner by which they could save her Harry, just so long as one was found and sooner rather than later!

Astoria's smile dropped from her lips, "No," the crestfallen witch replied. "I found what the penalty is for polygamy."

"How large is the fine?" Daphne enquired. The Matriarch of the Black family had joined in the research to help save her husband. Her future as well as the very thing that made her a witch, her magic, depended on Harry being with her. Even if that were not the case, Daphne knew that she would still do everything within her power to save Harry.

"I'm certain Harry can afford it," Tracey stated to reassure her best friend.

"It doesn't actually say," Astoria answered. "It says here that the aggrieved families can ask for restitution. However, there is no set amount stated."

"Wonderful!" Daphne exclaimed in disbelief. "So father can ask for all of the Black family wealth if he wants to. He won't even have to steal it! This just keeps getting better and better!"

"That's not all," Astoria said in a hesitant tone, fearful of her sister's reaction to what else the law said.

"Well it can't possibly get any worse," Tracey quipped with a nervous chuckle, her words falling flat.

"I'm afraid it can," Astoria replied, grabbing everyone's attention. "There is a mandatory sentence of ten years in Azkaban."

"Bloody hell," Luna said into the stunned silence following the young witch's announcement.

"Language, Luna," Daphne snapped automatically before she grabbed the next law book and opened it to start reading as the others just stared at her. "I don't know why, but for some reason that doesn't surprise me."

"Daphne what are you doing?" Tracey finally asked after several moments had passed with the others just staring at the reading witch. "Harry is going to be going to Azkaban for ten years so why are you just sitting there reading?"

Daphne paused in her reading and looked up, taking in all their looks at once. "Not if we find a way out of this for him," the determined woman stated with purpose. "I refuse to let father win and I refuse to lose Harry just when I have gotten him!"

"Is that even possible at this point?" Hermione asked, voicing the question that was on everyone else's mind at the moment.

"I don't know," Daphne replied honestly. "I do know that these laws were created by the powerful and the wealthy. Most, if not all, of them being purebloods. I can't see them passing a law with that long a sentence attached to it without leaving themselves some way out of it should the need arise. Father always places several loopholes in his contracts to ensure he can get out of them if it is in his best interest to do so."

"It is a bit hard to believe that they would willing go to Azkaban for ten years," Luna voiced in agreement. "They are all rather attached to their power, wealth, and comforts of life."

"So now all we have to do is find the loophole they saved for themselves so that Harry can use it," Tracey said in understanding.

"Knowing what the penalty is, we just need to find a law that allows for multiple marriages then," Hermione spoke up. "We'll have to start all over as we certainly weren't looking for that when we started this search," the former Head Girl said with a determined expression.

"Not necessarily," Luna corrected her friend. "We began with the newest laws and worked our way backward. I think perhaps we should instead start with the oldest laws and move forward as those will have the greatest possibility of legalized multiple marriages."

"We'll still need to check the newer laws if only to see if there are more that overturn the old ones," Daphne interjected.

"Why don't Tracey and I continue to go through the newer laws while the three of you start on the oldest ones," Astoria suggested as if reading her sister's mind.

For the next several hours the five witches kept their collective noses buried in musty old law books which were both dry reading and required a great deal of thought to get through the legalese verbiage that was used. The older laws were even worse as the English used was a great deal different, accented with Thee's and Thou's as it were.

"Merlin's Bloody Balls!" Tracey Davis exclaimed into the silence that had reigned for some time. "I think my head is going to explode!" Tossing her law book aside the young witch began to massage her temples in an effort to stave off a growing headache.

"Tracey Rose Davis, must you always be so vulgar?" Daphne exclaimed, aghast at her friend's choice of words. Even after growing up with the witch Tracey's swearing, her dearest friend still managed to surprise Daphne from time to time.

"Yes. Yes, I must, or my head truly will explode," Tracy replied with a small smile, unperturbed by her friend's reaction. "I need a break as my eyes are starting to cross," the young witch said just as her stomach's need for food made itself rather loudly known. "A…anyone else hungry?" Tracey stammered as her face turned red with embarrassment.

"It's well past lunch. Perhaps a break is in order?" Luna suggested as the others chuckled at Tracey's discomfort. The witches were quick to agree except Hermione who looked intent on remaining exactly where she was. "You won't do Harry any good if you wear yourself out, Hermione," Luna chided the older girl.

"I know," Hermione replied with a resigned sigh as she set the book she had been reading aside. "I just can't help but feel we are quickly running out of time. This is Harry after all. Bad things happen to him all the time, and they seldom wait for a time when we are prepared for them."

"I doubt very much that father will wait either," Daphne said in agreement. "I'm actually surprised that he hasn't tried something already. Then again, he hasn't gotten to where he has in life by being reckless or rash either. I'm certain he has something planned, and it is only a matter of time before we discover what it is. However, if we don't take care of ourselves we won't be able to help Harry when the time comes," Daphne added, echoing Luna's words.

"Fine. Fine. I get it," Hermione relented, rising to her feet. "I'll go eat and rest a bit," the young witch conceded as she followed Astoria and Tracey out the library.

Luna turned slightly to regard Daphne. "You wanted to talk?" Seeing the surprised look on Daphne's faces the petite blonde gave a small grin. "It wasn't that hard to determine, Daphne. You didn't leave with your sister and Tracey, so you had to be staying back for a reason. While I appreciate the help with Hermione, I hardly think that was the reason."

"You're a great deal more perceptive than people give you credit for," Daphne replied. Indeed, she had wanted to speak to the former Ravenclaw but wasn't certain just how to go about it. The last time they had truly talked it had ended in spells being exchanged. _Hopefully, things will go better this time._

"Harry has told me that a time or two," Luna replied with a soft smile at the thought of her husband. "Why don't we sit," Luna suggested, and she gestured towards the nearest couch. "I'm sure if we're in here too long the others will come to find us or send for Harry," she added with a grin.

"That is what I want to talk to you about," Daphne said as she made her way to the indicated couch and took a seat. "I truly love Harry, and I know that he loves me as well."

Luna gave a small nod. "I know that he does," the younger witch said in agreement. "I love Harry as well. As does Tracey as well as Hermione. Harry loves us all in return," she added. "It was Harry's capacity to love that ultimately defeated Voldemort after all. It was the Power He Knew Not according to Headmaster Dumbledore."

"I still find that difficult to believe," Daphne confessed, having heard the same from Harry back when she had first arrived at Westfield Manor. "The Dark Lord was defeated by love."

"Harry put his love of his friends before himself and was willing to sacrifice himself to save them and everyone else. Sacrifices of that nature are certainly something the Dark Lord would never have understood," Luna stated before continuing, "But I'm sure you didn't stay behind to talk about Voldemort."

"No," Daphne answered with a small shake of her head. "I wanted to talk to you about Harry."

"One of my favorite topics of choice," Luna offered with a grin, sitting back and waiting for Daphne to continue.

Daphne couldn't help but return the girl's smile as the wizard was also one of her favorite topics as well. "I think it best to start off by apologizing for trying to hex you in here the last time we spoke. In light of everything I can see where it wasn't your fault at all." It wasn't easy for Daphne to admit that she had been in the wrong. When she had talked to Tracey about everything, they had both agreed that if they were to have any chance with Harry, they would have to work something out with Luna first.

"I can't imagine that it was any joy to discover in that manner that you weren't the only one married to Harry," Luna said, accepting part of the blame. "Not that there is a good way to find that out. Owl post just doesn't seem appropriate," Luna added with a small chuckle.

"No, probably not," Daphne agreed. "It must have been difficult to not be able to tell others that you were married to him as well."

"It wasn't what I would have preferred," Luna admitted, "but I knew Harry loved me and really that was good enough for me."

"He really does love us both?" Daphne voiced after a long pause.

"He loves us all," Luna corrected. "You, me, Tracey, Hermione, Andi, Teddy, Anna. Harry has the capacity to love many and apparently be loved by many," the younger of the two added with an accepting smile. "He's a hard man not to love."

"How is that possible?" Daphne asked with a frown as she puzzled over it. Loving multiple people really wasn't a concept she had given much thought. Even in the Wizarding world, it was unheard of for people to fall in love with more than one person, even more, unheard of to marry them both. _Does this mean Harry will want to marry Hermione and Tracey as well?_ Daphne wondered, thinking they were already in enough trouble as it were without adding more to it.

"It's no different than you loving Harry and Tracey, I would imagine," Luna pointed out. "Life would be rather sad if we could only love one person after all. We love others to different degrees and in different ways, but it is still loved all the same. Fortunately for us, Harry loves us in a romantic fashion."

"I do love Tracey, and I do love Harry," Daphne replied in a distracted tone as she thought about her feelings for them both. "I can't imagine my life without either of them in it. It is something I need to discuss with Harry actually."

"I doubt very much that he would prevent Tracey from being a part of your life," Luna said, guessing at what Daphne was hinting at. "He loves Tracey as well after all, so I doubt very much he wants to be apart from her any more than he does from you."

"We're a package deal after all," Daphne replied with a small chuckle, only to see Luna raise a questioning brow. "Back at Hogwarts, in our fifth year, I swore a vow to Tracey that I would never leave her and we'd always be together. At the time, something terrible had happened, and Tracey was deathly afraid that I would vanish and that she would be left all alone. The vow, upon my magic, was the only thing I could think of to reassure her that I wasn't going to leave her side."

"I was young and foolish," Daphne continued. "When I swore that vow to Tracey I didn't think about the consequences of my actions. It wasn't till father began to discuss marriage contracts that I realized that I might actually be separated from Tracey at some point. I tried to talk father out of it, even telling him about my vow to Tracey in the hopes that would persuade him to relent, but it didn't."

"Your father was going to marry you off even knowing that it could very well cost you your magic?" Luna asked in disbelief. Having grown up with loving parents, it was difficult for her to understand how someone could do that to their own child.

"It was that fear that drove me to run away from home," Daphne confessed. "I knew father was about to sign a marriage contract for me, so I hoped to be able to run away and keep from being found till I was of age," she explained. "I knew it had to be someplace or to someone that father couldn't get to. Harry was the obvious choice. I never thought he would entrap Harry."

"I guess that makes sense," Luna said thoughtfully. "Harry once mentioned that Tracey seemed to have a fear of vows for some reason. I suppose I know why now. Have you told Harry about any of this?"

"Not as yet," Daphne answered. "Things have been a bit busy, and there certainly hasn't been a good time to do it. Also, things between Harry and I are a bit out of sorts at the moment," Daphne added a bit sheepishly, recalling her last blowup at the wizard. Their relationship had been rather strained ever since.

"You do realize that your father didn't actually need for you to be present to be able to sign a marriage contract for your hand?" Luna inquired.

"Apparently," Daphne answered. "If he needed me there then Harry and I would never be married. I wasn't exactly thinking clearly," Daphne confessed. "All I could think about was being separated from Tracey and losing my magic when I broke my vow. Not one of my better moments, I admit."

Luna gave a sigh, mentally agreeing with the former Slytherin. "So, what is it you wish to do, Daphne?"

"Originally, I was going to speak to Harry and convince him to allow Tracey to be a part of our relationship but that was before I learned he was married to you as well," Daphne replied. "Now I don't know what to do. That's even assuming that we can find a way to keep Harry out of Azkaban!"

"I don't have any issue with including Tracey," Luna replied as her brow creased in thought. "The problem will be convincing Harry of that."

"Really?" Daphne asked in disbelief.

"I'm an only child, but I've always wanted siblings," Luna explained. "I imagine you both will be like sisters at some point. One hardly ever gets the chance to choose their family," Luna added with a small dreamy smile.

"Sister Wives?" Daphne asked with an arched brow. It wasn't something the pureblood witch had ever actually considered, and she wasn't certain how she felt about it. Part of her wanted all of Harry to herself, or at least to her and Tracey. _It could be worse_ , the young witch realized. _Luna could be dead set against including Tracey at all_. Daphne knew that if she wanted Harry at all, she would have to learn to share him with both Tracey and Luna.

"Well, you and I perhaps," Luna replied with a nod of agreement. "Tracey, not being married to Harry, would be more of a sister-in-law of sorts, given her relationship with you. Ultimately I want whatever will make Harry the happiest and I have little doubt that you and Tracey figure heavily into that."

"And you're all right with sharing Harry with us?" Daphne asked in a skeptical tone as she regarded the younger witch. Having trouble adjusting her own thinking to the thought of sharing Harry it was hard to see how Luna could so easily do so.

"I think it would be more appropriate to ask you that question, Daphne," Luna countered with, a small chuckle escaping her lips. "As long as Harry loves me and I'm allowed to be with him I don't really care how many others he loves, or that love him."

Daphne could tell from Luna's tone that she meant exactly what she said. _It must be nice to be able to trust so easily_ , she thought to herself. "I'm sure things will be a bit awkward," Daphne finally said, "and there is still the matter of convincing Harry."

"Harry won't be a problem," Luna declared boldly, having figured out a way already. Seeing Daphne's doubtful expression, the petite which went on to explain. "Once he knows that it will save you from losing your magic and that it will make you and Tracey happy, I am certain he will do whatever he can to make the best of it."

"He is a male after all," Daphne quipped with a knowing smirk. "I'm certain he won't know what to do with the three of us!"

Luna's lips spread into a wide grin. "Yes, there is that to look forward to as well."

"Y…yes," Daphne stammered, feeling her cheeks heat into a blush. The young woman was a stranger to serious relationships with the exception of Tracey. Daphne wasn't sure if Luna's response was directed at Harry being male or the three of them being with Harry all at once, having had similar thoughts with Tracey not all that long ago. "Perhaps we should join the others?" she suggested as she stood.

Luna stood, and the two walked towards the doors of the library before Luna voiced a question. "How does Tracey feel about all this?"

"She was rather hesitant about it of course," Daphne answered. "It was her thought however that Harry would possibly be willing to share."

"I'm rather surprised by that, all things considered," Luna voiced, recalling the rumors of how Tracey had been to males in general while at Hogwarts.

"I was too till she recently confessed to me that she had a crush on Harry in our third year," Daphne said with a giggle. "It seems that Harry has managed to overcome Tracey's dislike of males."

"What's not to like about our Harry?" Luna quipped as the two of them walked into the dining area.

"I know, right?" Daphne agreed with a grin.

The two witches quickly served themselves and found their places at the table. If their unexpected friendship was cause of interest with the others they didn't let it show. Luna sat back and munched on a small sandwich as she observed the others at the table. _Two down and one to go_ , she thought to herself as her silver eyes zeroed in on Hermione. _Now we just have to get Harry and Hermione together as well.._. _and keep Harry out of Azkaban_.

**-oOo-**

Gerald Greengrass stepped from the fireplace and with a flick of his wand removed the soot and ash from his clothes. The elder Greengrass turn to greet his host. "I don't enjoy being summoned here like some servant, Lucius!" he spat out in an angry tone.

Lucius, unruffled by the man's apparent darkened mood gave a welcoming smile. "If I recall correctly it was you who came to me for help, Greengrass," the head of the Malfoy family replied drily. "So why ever would I come to you when I am not the one in need of assistance?" Lucius continued before the former head of the Greengrass family could respond. "We can stand here and discuss the finer points of etiquette, or we can adjourn to my private study and talk about the reason I asked you here."

Gerald, always a smart businessman, bit back the words he wanted to say with some difficulty. "Fine. Lead on." It wasn't long before the two men were closeted away in the study, each with a snifter of brandy in their hand. "I'm assuming you have news?" Gerald asked, breaking the silence as his impatience got the better of him.

Lucius allowed himself a small condescending smile which he hid behind his snifter as he took a sip of the amber liquid. He had purposely waited to see if Greengrass would cave and speak first. _It is the small victories in life that are the most satisfying_ , he reminded himself. "I do," Lucius replied. "I have spoken with many of my associates. After a great deal of discussion, and no small amount of galleons, they have agreed to back your cause."

"How quickly can we move on this?" Gerald demanded, sitting forward in his seat, the snifter in his hand all but forgotten in his excitement. _Potter will finally get his and when he does I'll have all the Black wealth to myself!_ "We are under a time constraint after all if this is to work," Gerald added.

"Yes, there is your daughter's birthday," Lucius agreed. "The tenth of February is it not?" Seeing Gerald give a sharp nod Lucius continued. "Should she reach her maturity, you will not be able to assume guardianship of her."

"I know that," Gerald growled through clenched teeth. It pained the proud wizard to no end to have to seek help from the likes of Lucius Malfoy. "All the more reason haste is needed," Gerald added. "If that were to happen then all our plans would be for naught!"

"The Wizengamot will open its first session of the year on the 25th of January," Lucius replied, pausing to take a slow sip of his brandy. The wizard was rather enjoying watching Greengrass hang upon his every word. The fact that it apparently irritated the man whenever Lucius paused in this manner only added to Malfoy's enjoyment. "They will ask if there is any new business to address at which time you can stand and make your claim."

"Me?" Gerald exclaimed in surprise. "I thought you would be the one as I do not have a seat upon the Wizengamot."

"I'm not the one with a grievance against Potter," Lucius pointed out rather smugly. "It is your plan. Therefore you must carry it out. I and those following my lead will support the matter when the time comes of course. If I were to present this issue, it would just appear as if I was out to get Potter. Everyone knows there is no love loss between us two after all," Lucius side. "New business can be brought before the Wizengamot by anyone. I would have thought you'd have known that, Gerald?"

The elder Greengrass bit his tongue once again, knowing that for the time he needed Lucius and the votes the man could bring their way. _Once I have the Black family wealth, I'll no longer have need of a silent partner._ Gerald thought it over for a long moment, finding no flaw with Malfoy's logic. "You're confident that you have the votes?"

"You wouldn't be here right now if I didn't," Lucius assured Gerald. "When this is all done, Potter will be in Azkaban, Draco will be the head of the Black family, and you and I will be business partners," stated Lucius with an evil grin. _And the Malfoys will be back where they belong among the prominent families of our world!_

**-oOo-**

January 22, dawned with all the makings of a bright and beautiful day. Harry Potter rolled out of bed, squinting at the bright sunlight as it streamed through his bedroom window. "Must you always throw the curtains open first?" he whined plaintively.

"Master Harry wouldn't get up if Winky did not," the small she-elf replied as she busied herself with laying out her master's clothes for the day. "Master Harry has a busy day today after all."

"Thank you, Winky," Harry said, resigning himself to his rate before making his way to the bathroom for a shower. Despite the weather outside, the young man felt that the day should be an ugly one given what was to happen in a few hours. In short order, Harry showered, shaved and dressed before making his way downstairs for breakfast. "Good morning, Andi," Harry greeted the older witch with, pausing to exchange pecks on the cheeks before collecting his plate and heading to the sideboard to serve himself. "Where is everyone?"

"Good morning, yourself," Andi replied with a warm, caring smile. "In the library, I believe," she added as Harry returned to the table and seated himself. "Well everyone but Luna. She took Teddy over to the Lupin Home to have breakfast with Anna so they could say their goodbyes."

Harry gave a grunt of acknowledgment before starting in on his food even though he had very little appetite at the moment. A few days past, the witches living under his roof had informed him as to the penalty he faced for being married to both Daphne and Luna. Harry had already known, thanks to his solicitors, but had refrained from telling the witches that. Instead, he had thanked them for all their time and effort on his behalf. Harry hadn't even realized they had been researching it, but given Hermione's penchant for research and getting him out of a jam, he should have.

"Are you going to be all right?" Andi finally asked after the silence had dragged on for several minutes. She knew that saying goodbye to Anna today wasn't going to be easy for Harry. _He's already lost so many that he's cared about_ , Andi thought to herself, wishing there was some way she could spare him this pain.

Harry opened his mouth to say that he'd be fine only to pause upon realizing that Andi wouldn't believe him. "Probably not," he finally admitted. "Are you working tonight?" Harry asked.

"Yes, but I can call off if you need me to?" Andi offered. Truth be told she had nearly done just that already. Only the fact that she wasn't certain how Harry would take her doing so had prevented her from sending an owl. _He'd probably feel guilty if I took the time off_ , she had reasoned.

"No, that's all right," Harry finally replied after a few moments. "I'll have to learn to deal with this sooner or later, and I would hate for you to get into trouble at work. The others will be here if I need someone," Harry added with a forced smile. "I guess it is time for me to be an adult about this, huh?"

Andi stood and walked down to the other end of the table before seating herself in what was typically Daphne's chair. "Being an adult doesn't mean not showing your emotions, Harry," Andi told him as she took his hand in hers. "In fact, it means just the opposite. Being able to show your emotions and that you love and care for others, regardless of who sees, is part of being an adult."

"From what you have told me Anna is happy about getting a new family. This could be exactly what she needs to help her get past what happened to her sister and parents," Andi said. "Merlin knows that child deserves some happiness in her life."

"She is happy," Harry acknowledged, his eyes dropping to their clasped hands. "It just hurts to let her go, Andi."

"I know Sweetie. I'm certain it is hard for Anna as well which is all the more reason you need to be strong. If not for yourself then for Anna," Andi told Harry. "You've been that little girl's knight in shining armor and probably the only thing that has kept her from losing it completely. You can't let her down now, Harry."

"I suppose not," Harry replied after a moment's thought.

"So, go and see her off with a smile," Andi suggested. "Hug her, tell her you love her and that you'll see her soon. Reassure her that no matter what you'll always be there for her. Anna is probably just as scared of losing you as you are of losing her, Harry."

Harry gave the hand in his a gentle squeeze. "Whatever would I do without you, Andi?" The older witch always seemed to know just what to say or do to help Harry through the rough emotional moments of his recent life, such as his falling out with Daphne. It was a fact that he was very thankful for. _That reminds me,_ _I still need to speak with Daphne and apologize._ Their relationship had been strained of late, and he missed their playful banter.

"Morgana help us!" Andi exclaimed playfully. "Let us hope we never have to find out!" Andi stood Harry, following suit and standing as well. "If you need me," the elder witch said as she pulled Harry into a hug.

"I know where to find you," Harry finished, returning the hug as his lips slipped into a genuine smile. The two remained that way for several long moments before Harry stepped back. "Well, I best be about it then. If I hurry, I can spend some time with Anna before her new parents arrive."

"See that you do," Andi told Harry before walking the young wizard to the door and seeing him off with another hug and a quick peck on the cheek.

**-oOo-**

Harry landed his broom and shrunk it with a wave of his hand before placing it in his pocket. Making his way into Lupin Home, he ran into Padma Patil. "I wondered when you were going to show up," the former Ravenclaw witch greeted Harry with upon seeing him. "As the owner of Lupin Home, there are some papers you need to sign off on concerning Ann. Why don't we go to my office and get them taken care of before you go and see her?"

"Of course," Harry replied in agreement, falling into step beside the witch. "Anna seems pretty happy with her new parents. I'm assuming they have been well checked out?"

"Of course they have been Harry," Padma assured him. "That is what you pay me for after all."

"I know," Harry quickly agreed. "It's just strange that a magical couple would take in a non-magical child."

"I think the fact that Anna is a child had more to do with it than the fact she was or wasn't magical," Padma replied as she ushered the wizard into her office and closed the door. "Honestly, after having met and spoken with the new parents, I am fairly sure that magic had nothing to do with their choice of adopting Anna."

"You've met them?" Harry asked.

"Of course!" Padma scoffed. "Do you honestly believe I would give Anna away to people I've never met before?" she asked in an angry tone at having her judgment and professionalism questioned.

"No! No, of course not," Harry hastily backpedaled. "What are they like?" the concerned wizard pressed.

"You'll meet them soon enough, Harry," Padma said as she withdrew some papers from her desk drawer. "Rather than go by my opinion of them, why not wait and form your own?" she asked. "Sign here," she added, sliding a paper across to Harry and indicating where he needed to sign it.

"I know…I mean I will," Harry stammered as he hastily signed where indicated before passing the paper back. "I just want your opinion of them is all."

"And here," Padma said, sliding the second paper towards the wizard. "I think they will take splendid care of Anna. She is quite taken with them just as they are with her," Padma assured the concerned wizard as she accepted the signed document back before sliding the last one over to be signed. "One more."

"As long as she is happy," Harry said as he quickly signed the last one and slide it back across the desk. "I just want to make certain that she'll be well cared for and receive all the love and attention that she deserves."

"She will, Harry," Padma replied with a grin as she came around her desk. "Come on, let's go find Anna for you, okay? I'm sure she is anxious to see you."

The two walked out of the office only to see the girl in question walking down the hall holding onto Teddy's hand. On the other side of Teddy was Luna, holding the boy's other hand, as the three of them slowly walked down the hallway. "Harry!" Anna exclaimed upon seeing the wizard before sprinting in his direction.

Harry dropped to one knee and held his arms open to accept the human projectile. "How's my girl?" Harry asked in an emotionally strained voice as he hugged the child in his arms.

"Much better now that you're here," Anna answered as she clung tightly to the kneeling wizard.

Luna scooped Teddy up and deposited him on one hip before making her way over towards the group.

"Sorry for keeping him," Padma apologized to Anna. "I needed for Harry to sign off on the paperwork so it could be filed with Gringotts."

"Don't you mean the Ministry?" Harry asked in a confused tone.

"No," Padma explained. "Adoptions are far too mundane for someone at the Ministry to be bothered by them. The goblins have managed them for some time now."

"Oh good, we caught them before they left," Susan Bones said as she and Parvati joined the group in the hallway.

"Not like we wouldn't see them again," Parvati quipped with a smirk, "They're just a short broom ride away."

"Who knows when Harry will invite us over," Susan countered with. "All this time and he has yet to invite any of us to his home. I guess we really are just employees."

"What? No," the confused wizard managed to get out, not really certain just what was going on. "You are welcome over anytime," Harry assured them.

"That was easier than I thought it would be?" Padma stated with a grin.

"Why don't we let them get settled though before we descend en masse," Susan suggested.

"You're no fun!" Parvati said, sticking out her tongue at Susan, causing everyone but Harry to laugh.

"Well now that's settled, perhaps we should be off?" Luna asked.

"Off?" Harry parroted back at his wife, completely at a loss. "Where are we going? I thought we were meeting Anna's new mum and dad?"

"Shopping," Luna informed her husband. "Anna needs a bed, furniture, clothes and many other things if we're going to get her settled today, Harry?"

"What?" was the best that Harry could manage at the moment.

"Don't worry Anna, he's usually not this slow," Luna said to the small girl who still had her arm wrapped around her new father's neck.

"I know," Anna replied, slipping from Harry's stunned grasp only to take one of his hands in hers and give it a slight tug. "Let's go home, Papa!"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just when you think you're finally free…life has a way of sucking you back in and keeping you from writing! Rather than tell you of my sad tale, I'll simply say that life at the moment sucks but there is always the prospect that it will get better. Of course, it can also equally get worse, I guess. It's the downs that make the ups so much more enjoyable on this rollercoaster ride we call life.
> 
> Speaking of life…I thought it was about time that the Witches of Westfield finally joined forces and presented a unified front to address what has happened as well as what will happen in the not too distant future. I know many of you are saying "Oh I knew that way going to happen" concerning Anna. It would be rather mean to both her and Harry to separate them I thought. Those kinds of "surprises" are rather hard to write without giving it away ahead of time. Hope you enjoyed it though. Drop me a review and let me know what you thought of it.
> 
> As always, your reviews are not required, but they are greatly appreciated.
> 
> Kind Regards,
> 
> EJ Daniels
> 
> All characters within this story, unless otherwise stated are the sole property of J. K. Rowling the original writer of the Harry Potter series.


	29. For Better Or For Worse

**Chapter 29 – For Better Or For Worse  
. . .**

Harry awoke from a slumber that for once was not plagued by nightmares. The young wizard propped his head up on his pillow causing the still sleeping Luna to shift and snuggle into his side as if she was seeking warmth. Harry smiled tenderly at the sleeping witch, thankful once again for her presence in his life.

"However will I repay you?" Harry whispered towards the slumbering girl. The last thing he had expected yesterday was to be returning home with Anna. It was a fact that both delighted him as well as scared him. _However, will I take care of her when I am little more than a child myself?_ He wondered. As frightening as the prospect of parenthood was, being without Anna in his life was even scarier.

A bit of elf magic had seen the small girl's bed and effects brought over from the Lupin Home. That, of course, hadn't prevented Luna and the others from taking Anna shopping for clothes and other things they felt she needed. Harry still couldn't believe all they had bought or that one small little girl could need so much.

Thankfully it had been agreed that they wouldn't stop by the woman's unmentionable store, though Luna had presented a strong argument for going. The young witch wanted some of the undergarments she had heard the others talking about. Harry personally thought what Luna had on was perfectly fine, particularly since it didn't usually stay on long when they were alone together in his rooms.

Harry had tagged along, walking beside Anna and holding her hand. It was the first time Anna had been out in public, and the child clung to his hand like it was a lifeline. Even though Anna wore the necklace Harry had crafted for her she was still fearful. It had taken some time for Anna to relax a bit and enjoy the excursion. The others doted on Anna, and under their combined attention the girl actually started to get into the spirit of the trip.

It had been rather late in the evening when Harry, Anna, Luna, Astoria, Daphne and Tracey had returned home. Hermione had declined the outing in favor of remaining in the library and researching through the old laws in the hopes of finding one to save Harry. The former Head Girl had responded with _"The Clock's ticking"_ when asked to go. The group of them upon returning, once they had extracted Hermione from the library, had sat down for a rather late meal.

"Have you given any further thought to schooling, Mister Potter?" Mary asked at one point, having joined them for the meal upon hearing the noise of their return. "Now that you are a parent, you will need to think about Anna's education," she added with a small smile at seeing Anna grin upon the mention of Harry being her parent.

"I hadn't really given it much more thought from our last conversation," Harry confessed. "Things have been a bit busy," he pointed out with a small grin, "and I only just became a parent," he added with a loving look towards Anna who smiled back brightly.

"There are a couple of muggle teachers over at the Lupin Home," Luna offered, causing Harry to look at her in surprise. "Missus Robinson taught primary, and Mister Hill taught…well, I don't recall what exactly, but I believe it wasn't primary."

"Probably secondary," Hermione offered in a distracted tone. The bright witch had been rather uncharacteristically subdued ever since the others had returned.

"Maybe," Harry agreed. "Do you think they would be willing to teach classes?" Harry directed towards Luna.

"We can always ask them," Daphne interjected before the former Ravenclaw could answer. "I would imagine that just sitting around not doing anything would be a bit boring after a while."

Luna gave a nod of agreement. "I can always speak with them about it tomorrow," the young witch offered. "Teddy has a play date over at the Lupin Home in the afternoon," Luna informed them. "He's become rather popular over there, and it's good for him to have others to play with that are closer to his age."

"If you don't mind I would like to go with you and speak to them as well," Mary asked, to which Luna gave a nod of consent. "If we're going to do this then we will need someplace to hold classes," the elder witch said with a pointed look towards Harry.

"I can talk to Gringotts and see about having a building added," Harry offered. "What does it need to have?" He asked only to see answering blank stares. "Hey, I don't know the first thing about what a school building's requirements. I went to school in a castle, remember?" he added with a grin. While Harry had attended primary school, he hadn't been old enough to really notice what was there. In addition, Dudley and his gang had seen to it that Harry had very little free time to look about.

"Yes, well, I highly doubt we require something that grandiose, Mister Potter," Mary commented with a grin. "Several classrooms at least though would certainly be nice."

"A few more than several probably," Luna stated thoughtfully. "The children at Lupin Home range in all ages. Having the younger children with, the older ones would be too great of a distraction for them."

"As well as for the older ones, as well," Tracey hesitantly added, joining the conversation for the first time. "Perhaps splitting them up according to year as they do at Hogwarts?" she suggested. "Not to mention that some will be magical and some won't be."

"It would be nice if the building were readily available from almost anywhere," Daphne said. "We do get snow here occasionally, and I'm sure no one likes to trudge through that to get to classes."

"Or rain," Astoria was quick to add. The younger Greengrass sister seemed to be a bit distracted as if she had something else on her mind.

Luna's hand paused over the parchment she had conjured, the quill in her grasp was poised ready to add to the list she had started to create. "Anything else?"

"A library," Hermione said as she finished the last of her meal. "They will need a good library. One well stocked with both magical as well as non-magical books."

"Thanks," Harry said to Hermione with an appreciative smile before turning back and regarding the group as a whole. "There are over two hundred children currently at Lupin Home, so I doubt that two teachers will be adequate for all of them."

"Not hardly," Mary agreed with a frown. "The problem is that we have both muggles as well as magical. Magical teachers won't be as hard to find as muggle ones. The Statue of Secrecy doesn't allow for us to tell them about our world."

"Squibs?" Harry suggested in a questioning tone. Though he was well known at school for breaking the rules, even he felt it might be a bit much to break the Statue of Secrecy any further than he already was. If it became common knowledge that non-magicals living at Lupin Home, he was certain he'd be in more than a bit of trouble.

"Possibly," Mary hesitantly agreed. "I can't say that any come to mind though. Squibs usually don't stay in our world as there is very little employment for them. Most decide to enter the muggle world and take their chances there. The number of those that would have attended the higher education courses required to get their teaching credentials probably isn't all that high."

Harry could only nod in understanding as he hadn't really thought it through that far, but it made sense to him when Mary pointed it out. "I'm sure that some of the magical teachers can cover reading, letters, and numbers well enough. It's the other non-magical classes we'll need teachers for," he stated with a small sigh at the apparent enormity of the problem before them. "I can have Mister Wright ask about," Harry suggested with a grin. "He did a splendid job of finding you after all."

Hermione wiped her mouth with the linen napkin before dropping it to her plate, which promptly vanished by house elf magic. "If you'll excuse me, I want to get back to the library," the young witch said as she stood.

Harry reached out and grabbed Hermione's hand before she could leave. "Are you alright, Hermione?" he asked in a concerned tone. "You've been terribly quiet throughout the entire meal. I would have suspected you to be leading this discussion and already have plans and several lists drawn up," Harry added with a small grin, knowing how the smart witch worked through long years spent by her side.

Hermione, acutely aware of all the eyes focused on her replied a bit sharper than she meant to. "I'm all right, Harry! Forgive me if I feel it is more important to try and find a way to keep you out of Azkaban," Hermione snapped as she pulled her hand from his and quickly left for the library leaving a rather stunned table behind her.

"What's got her knickers in a twist?" Tracey quipped into the silence once the witch was gone.

"Hermione doesn't do well with puzzles she can't solve," Harry offered in defense of his best friend. "This is nothing, you should have seen her just before we took our OWLs," he added with forced levity, even though he was concerned by Hermione's apparent sudden change in behavior.

"I heard about that," Daphne offered. "Even Draco was afraid to mess with her during that time."

"No telling what she might have turned him into," Harry had agreed with a genuine grin at the thought.

Harry's thoughts were halted as Luna's pale arm snaked across his stomach and hugged him possessively, pulling the rather nude witch into his side. "A galleon for your thoughts," a sleepy voice said just before soft lips kissed his bare shoulder.

"They're hardly worth that much," Harry replied as he rolled to his side and snaked an arm around the petite witch, drawing her flush against his chest. "Just wondering how I was so lucky to marry such a beautiful witch," he added.

"Daphne is rather fetching and does have some rather perky assets I'll admit," Luna teased with a small dreamy smile.

"And you don't?" Harry asked as he ran his hand up her side before cupping one of Luna's assets and eliciting a small groan of pleasure from the witch as his thumb slid across her perkiness. "However shall I repay you for yesterday?" he asked in a slightly husky tone.

"Well you could keep doing what you're doing," Luna answered, arching her back a bit and thrusting herself into his hand in the process. "Not that you have to repay me at all of course Harry, but that does feel rather fantastic."

Harry grinned as Luna's eyes closed and her head rolled back. "Oh, how about this?" he asked as he rolled her onto her back, lowered his head, and capture the young witch's perkiness within the warmth of his mouth. The small gasp of delight was all the encouragement Harry needed to continue his ministrations.

It was sometime later, after their lovemaking, that the young man reflected that there might be better ways of waking up in the morning but right at that moment he couldn't think of any. Luna shifted, snuggling into his neck as her head lay upon his shoulder, and he held her close. "So what can I do for you?" Harry asked in a more serious tone.

"I think I'm good for now," the contented witch purred, bringing one leg up and draping it across Harry so that she was practically laying atop of him. "Feel free to wake me up like that anytime," she added, earning herself a kiss to the crown of her head from her husband. It still amazed Luna that she was actually married to Harry. There were times when she feared she would awake and discover that this had all been a dream.

_And what a bizarre dream that would be_ , she mused silently to herself. _Married to Harry who is also married to Daphne who is in love with Tracey. Let's not forget that Tracey is also in love with Harry as well as Hermione who has loved Harry for years._ The young witch couldn't help but grin at the absurdity of it all. _I'm not even certain I could dream something like that up_ , she told herself with a small smile.

"I'm serious," Harry said, interrupting Luna's thoughts. "I want to do something for you."

"I never knew you were an Animagus," Luna quipped playfully. "Though I'm not certain a Grim would be a proper form for you, Harry."

"Ha-ha!" Harry retorted dryly, having heard that joke far too often from his godfather.

"Well, there is one thing you can do for me, Harry," Luna finally said in a more serious tone of voice. "You can talk things out with Daphne."

"What?" Harry asked in surprise. He wasn't certain what he had expected her to ask for, maybe go on a trip to hunt snorkacks or some such unusual creature that the petite which was fond of. Speaking with Daphne certainly wasn't on Harry's list of possible requests though.

"The two of you have unresolved issues," Luna went on to explain. "It is high time you talked and got everything sorted don't you think? She's your wife, for Merlin's sake. When things work out you'll be together for the rest of your lives," Luna pointed out.

"If they work out," Harry replied, a hint of frustration entering his tone.

"They will," Luna assured Harry. "You have five rather intelligent witches working to save your rather scrumptious backside after all. It's only a matter of time before we find a way to do that. You don't really think Hermione is going to let you down now after all these years? The rest of us are trying as hard as we can as well, Harry. None of us want to lose you."

The two lay in silence for several long moments as Harry thought over Luna's words. Truth be told, there was no one else he'd rather have working to save him. Knowing that they were all working so hard for his benefit made him feel thankful as well as a little unworthy. "Scrumptious huh?" Harry finally asked with a lopsided grin.

"Most certainly," Luna confirmed with a nod of her head as well. "Ask any of the girls, though maybe not Astoria," the young witch said with a thoughtful frown. "She seems to have her sights set on Draco. Still, I have caught her checking out your backside a time or two," Luna said with a brightening smile.

"Really?" Harry gasped in surprise, his cheeks blushing a bit at the news. Feeling Luna give a nod of confirmation Harry looked up at the canopy in wonder. "I never would have guessed," he murmured in disbelief. Somehow, the fact that Draco's girlfriend was checking him out made him a bit happier than it probably should have. _Point, Potter_ , he told himself as if he was keeping score.

The two lay in silence for a few moments just enjoying the company and closeness of the other. "I'll talk to Daphne," Harry finally agreed in a rather resigned tone of voice. _I guess it can't hurt matters any_ , he mused. The young wizard missed their playful banter. Whenever he was around the blonde witch it felt as though he was walking on eggshells, fearful of saying something that would anger Daphne further or worse yet, hurt her again.

Luna shifted, raising her head and stretching up to kiss her husband. "Thank you, Harry," she said afterward. "As much as I love laying here with you," Luna began in a wistful tone, "if we don't hurry we'll be late for breakfast. Anna and the others will start to wonder," she added seeing Harry's confused look.

Harry gave his wife a quick kiss before sitting up and rolling off the bed. The young wizard turned and caught Luna checking out his nude body and shot her a smirk. Like what you see?" he teased, trying hard not to let his eyes drop from Luna's face and zero in on her bare chest.

"You have no idea," Luna replied without a hint of modesty.

Harry just chuckled, and allowed himself to ogle his wife because... _well because I can!_ "Meet you down at breakfast?" he asked.

"Don't take too long," Luna said as she slid from the bed and started to get dressed.

"You could always shower with me to save time?" Harry offered with a suggestive leer.

"Somehow I think that might actually make us late for lunch," Luna replied with a dreamy smile as she pulled her pajama top on before walking over to Harry. Standing up on her tippy-toes Luna hastily kissed the man she loved before slipping out of the room with Harry staring wistfully after her.

"She says that like it's a bad thing," Harry said to himself once Luna was gone.

After a quick shower and shave Harry dressed in the clothes Winky had laid out for him. At some point, while he had been in the shower the house elf had opened the drapes, changed the linen on the bed and laid out clean clothes for her master. When he finally made it downstairs, it was to see that Luna had beat him there by a fair bit judging by her half-eaten plate of food.

After making the rounds and giving the witches present, with the exception of Mary, pecks on the cheeks, Harry served himself and sat to eat. "Hermione?" he asked, as the witch's seat was currently empty.

"Miss Granger has already eaten and ran off to the library," Mary was first to answer. "Do be sure to check on her, Mister Potter, before she overworks herself on your behalf."

"I will," Harry assured Mary. The rest of the meal passed in idle conversation that didn't amount to much, though it did serve to pass the time. Towards the end of the meal, Harry wiped his mouth before addressing the witch to his right. "Daphne, when you are finished, might I have a moment of your time?" the young man asked hesitantly, catching Luna's approving smile out the corner of his eye.

Daphne's eyes widened ever so slightly, though that was the only indication that she was surprised by the request. "Certainly," was all she said in the way of a reply before turning back to resume her conversation with Tracey. The two of them had not spent any time alone since the day in Harry's study. The young witch wanted to apologise but the time just never seemed right.

"Harry," Astoria's voice murmured, "can you please take a look at this?" she asked, sliding a folded bit of parchment towards the wizard. "It arrived last night while we were out."

Harry accepted the parchment and opened it, reading the words.

_Dearest Astoria,_

_I hope that this letter finds you well and in good health and spirits. I hope that Potter canceling the marriage contract has made you as happy as you wished._

_Speaking of Potter, I need to talk to him directly as soon as possible. I cannot meet him at Gringotts as father is having me watched I fear. He knew of my previous meeting with Potter and has advised me to keep away from Potter as well as yourself._

_I cannot help but feel that he is up to something. I have some suspicions, which I dare not include in this missive should it somehow fall into father's hands. With you staying at Potter's residence it would be helpful if you could speak to him concerning this matter._

_I remain forever yours,_

_Draco_

Harry's brow creased in thought as his eyes slid over the short message once again. Had he not met with Draco, as well as learned of Astoria's feelings for the Slytherin, he would have dismissed the letter as nothing more than a trick. Harry's gut was telling him however that this was no trick and that he could ill afford to not at least listen to what the man had to say.

"Tell him to be someplace alone tonight at six. Someplace where he will not be disturbed for a while," Harry finally said, passing the missive back to Astoria, who simply gave a nod of understanding. Harry stood, having lost his appetite after reading Draco's letter. Reaching out he lightly touched Daphne's shoulder to get her attention as she was still in a conversation with Tracey. "I'll be in my study when you have time," he said, offering her a small hesitant smile before leaving.

_So, Malfoy senior is planning something_ , Harry pondered as he entered his study and took a seat behind his desk. _Why doesn't that surprise me?_ It was only due to the fact that Narcissa Malfoy had saved Harry's life and that there was no direct evidence that Lucius had actually killed anyone that he was not in Azkaban like the other Death Eaters.

_Was I wrong for not pursuing the Malfoys?_ Harry asked himself, not for the first time. It had taken an enormous amount of soul-searching back when the war had finished for him to finally let matters rest where the Malfoys were concerned. In part, looking back, Harry was certain that the fact that he was tired of the killing and fighting had played a role in his decision. _A load of good that does me now_.

The young man frowned. _Then there is Draco. From all accounts from Astoria, he has apparently changed his ways and seen the light._ In his mind, Harry could hear a voice saying that everyone deserved a second chance. That the voice sounded suspiciously like Headmaster Dumbledore's brought a small smile to his face.

_Why though would Draco want to see me to rat out his own father?_ It was this fact that confused Harry as he had always had the impression that when it came to purebloods, family mattered above all else. In the same sense, he had always thought that Draco was rather close to Malfoy senior. _Could Draco have changed that much in such a short time?_ "It just doesn't make any sense," he mused aloud.

"What doesn't make any sense?" Daphne asked from where she stood in the doorway to the room.

Harry looked up, startled by the question as he had been lost in thought and hadn't heard Daphne's arrival. "Nothing," Harry quickly answered as he stood. Upon seeing the skeptical look on Daphne's face, he relented. "Your sister received a missive from Draco Malfoy asking to meet. Apparently, his father is planning a bit of trouble, and Draco felt that I needed to know about it."

"Why would Draco want to talk to you about what his father is doing?" Daphne asked with a creased brow as she pondered her own question.

"That's the part I don't understand either," Harry confessed.

"Are you going to meet with him?" Daphne enquired as she crossed the room the stand before Harry's desk.

"I guess it couldn't hurt," Harry replied, his own brow creased in thought. "I have to admit that Draco did seem to be different than he was while I attended Hogwarts. Astoria has been a good influence on him perhaps."

"Oh, I have very little doubt of that," Daphne agreed with a small grin. "Tori may not look it, but she can be rather stubborn when she sets her mind to something. I almost pity Draco as he clearly has no idea what he's getting himself into."

"I know the feeling," Harry answered. "Not that I'm complaining!" the young man was quick to add upon seeing Daphne arch a challenging brow. "I'll meet with him this evening and see what he has to say. Till then, all we can do is speculate as to what Malfoy senior is up to," Harry said in a frustrated tone.

Daphne regarded the man across the desk for a long moment. "Things are never easy in your life, are they Harry?" she asked in a concerned and gentle tone.

"Not hardly," Harry agreed with a lopsided grin. "I've learned to roll with it for the most part. I mean what else can I do? It's not like I can stop others from doing whatever it is they're going to do."

That little smile made Daphne's heart skip a beat, just as it always did. She had missed seeing that smile and more so having it directed at her. Things had been rather tense between the two of them ever since their confrontation in this very room. "You know, you don't have to face these things all alone now. You have the others, and I'm here for you too, if you need me that is?" she offered in a hesitant voice.

Harry, hearing the note of uncertainty in Daphne's voice, walked around his desk and approached the witch who watched his progress with wary eyes Feeling rather uncertain of himself, and just what he was supposed to do at a time like this, Harry took a page from Hermione and hugged Daphne. "How could I ever not need you, Daphne?" he said upon feeling the witch in his arms stiffen as he embraced her.

Daphne was a bit startled when Harry hugged her, but upon hearing his heartfelt words, she slowly relaxed, her own arms slipping around Harry and clinging to him tightly. It felt like forever since he had last touched her. "Even after what I did to you?" she asked, fearful of just what his reply would be.

Harry leaned back, then had to reach out and lift Daphne's chin so he could look her in the eye. "Let's get this straight, you are not to blame for this, Daphne. At least no more than I am for getting out of bed that morning," Harry told her, echoing Andi's words from previously. "You couldn't have known what your father was going to do."

"But I should have," Daphne protested. "If I hadn't sat myself by that curb and trapped you into this, none of this mess would have happened," she pointed out as if reminding him of their current circumstance due to her actions. "It's all my fault!" the distraught witch lamented with watery eyes.

Harry sighed, realizing this wasn't going to be easy. He could forgive Daphne all he wanted to, but if she didn't forgive herself, they would never get anywhere. "Daphne, did you force me to invite you here?"

"I trapped you," Daphne insisted. "I knew that you wouldn't be able to turn me away!"

"As I recall it, you didn't even suggest that you come live with me. That was all my doing," Harry pointed out to her. "You were planning to stay with Zabini weren't you?"

"Well…," Daphne stammered.

"And I know for a fact that it wasn't your ideas that I purchase your wand from your father," Harry continued before Daphne could say anything further. "Once again you didn't even suggest it, being content to wait till your father returned it on his own. Tell me I'm wrong," Harry said, a small grin creasing his lips upon seeing the look of uncertainty appearing on Daphne's face.

"But if I hadn't been here in the first place….," Daphne started with only to be cut off once again.

"You mean if I hadn't invited you, don't you?" Harry enquired to stop Daphne from that train of thought. Since his discussion with Andi, Harry had thought about everything that had happened a great deal. The more he thought about it, the more he realized the truth of the matter, there was a part of him that had wanted the beautiful witch to be at his home. With Hermione off to school and Ron at Auror training, Harry had felt a bit lonely in his big new house. "If we're going to play the blame game then it would be safe to say that if anyone is to blame it's me, Daphne."

"No! It isn't your fault, Harry!" Daphne quickly replied. The young woman's thoughts and emotions were all a jumble, and she wasn't certain what to think any longer. "I refuse to allow you to take all the blame! It was both our faults then. We're in this together after all!"

Harry gave Daphne a small, lopsided smile. "I couldn't have said it better myself. We're married, for better or for worse. We're a team, and so we shouldn't be angry with each other over this. What's done is done, and all we can do is make the best of it," he told her. "That is assuming you still want to make the best of it?"

Daphne arched a brow, hearing the uncertainty in Harry's voice. "Why wouldn't I?" she asked.

"Well," Harry began, "I am married to Luna as well," he added with a sheepish grin. "I'm no expert on marriage, but even I know that shouldn't be."

"And yet you are," Daphne replied dryly, dropping her arms and moving over to one of the chairs which sat in front of Harry's desk. "Perhaps we should talk as there are a few other things you need to know as well, Harry," she said as she seated herself.

"Like you and Tracey?" Harry asked as he moved to the remaining vacant seat and sat. Seeing the questioning look on Daphne's face, Harry chuckled. "You did say that you loved her and have been sleeping with her for some time, didn't you?" Daphne just gave a small nod in the way of answer. "Umm…I uh," the young man's face blushed red, "I might have also walked in on you two once as well," Harry confessed, embarrassed to admit the fact.

"What?" Daphne exclaimed, her own cheeks turning pink. "You knew and didn't say anything?"

Harry gave a slight shrug of his shoulders. "What right did I have to say anything? I mean, sure we are married and all but not by your choice. You've loved Tracey for some time I gather, and I certainly don't want to be the one to come in between the two off you."

"But what about us?" Daphne couldn't help but ask. To the young witch, it sounded as if Harry was telling her to have a relationship with Tracey and forget about him. Daphne's emotions were in turmoil as she certainly didn't want to be without Tracey but she equally didn't want to be without Harry either. Harry words sounded to her as if he had already decided she should be with Tracey and only Tracey.

Harry gave a rather resigned sigh not liking what he was about to say but feeling as though Daphne deserved it. "I love you, Daphne. I'm not sure how, or why and even when it happened but there it is. I want you to be happy, so I will understand you wanting to be with Tracey instead. We can go through the appearances of being married. Yours and Tracey's secret is safe with me, I promise."

Daphne breathed a sigh of relief upon hearing Harry's words. Apparently, there was a part of her that had feared Harry might want her to leave Tracey. A small part but a part none the less. "Well that takes care of that, thankfully," she voiced only to catch a questioning look from Harry. "There is something you don't know as yet, Harry. Back in school, something rather terrible happened to Tracey."

"Goyle," Harry said with a nod to indicate he knew already. Harry's face darkened as he recalled what had happened to Tracey. _I almost wish he was still alive so I could end him much slower this time_ , he thought.

"Tracey told you?" Daphne asked in disbelief, unaware that Tracey had shared her darkest secret with the wizard. "I hadn't realized that you had gained her trust and confidence. I'm rather impressed," Daphne admitted in a slightly awed tone of voice.

"Well, we happen to bump into each other in the kitchen late one night," Harry answered with another slight shrug. "I think she just needed someone to talk to at the time."

"I see," Daphne replied, though she couldn't help but wonder why Tracey hadn't spoken to her or told her she had spilled her guts to Harry for that matter. "Well, as I was saying after that happened Tracey was hurting in a terrible way, and she got it into her head that I was going to up and leave her. Like I would do such a thing!"

"The poor dear wouldn't even let me use the loo by myself. I was at my wit's end and couldn't figure out a way to convince her that I wasn't going to leave her," Daphne confessed. "I finally did the only thing I could think of and gave her a magical vow, upon my magic, that I would never leave her side and always be with her."

"Well, that certainly explains why Tracey dislikes vows," Harry replied as the pieces finally fell into place for him. "You do realize that you're very fortunate? Your vow could have literally seen you unable to leave her side at all," Harry pointed out.

"Not one of my brighter moments," Daphne agreed with an embarrassed chuckle. "Thankfully magic seems to have taken the vow with the intent that I intended. We can be apart for a while, as you saw when I first moved in here and Tracey was still at home. We really don't know how long we can be apart before the vow kicks in," she confessed. "Personally I would rather not find out."

"It was a very foolish thing to do, Daphne," Harry said, holding up a hand to silence the witch as she made to defend herself. "Being one who often leaps before they look though, I do understand. Thankfully you are here now, and Tracey is too, so you've nothing to worry about. Your father has been dealt with, and soon you'll be of age and able to do whatever it is you want."

"Thanks to you, Harry," Daphne replied.

"It's just how things worked out," Harry replied dismissively as he didn't feel as though he had much to do with it. "I'll do whatever it takes to make certain the two of you are happy."

"What about you, Harry?" Daphne asked, more than a little relieved upon realizing that Harry wouldn't stand in the way of her and Tracey being together. _Not that I ever really thought he would. Harry is far too noble to do something like that. In fact, it is that very nobility that may see him spoil our plans._ "What do you want?"

Harry smiled at witch's question. "I just want all of you to be happy," he replied honestly.

Daphne looked about, shifting nervously. _Well, things have gone better than I thought they would, might as well go for broke._ "So then, you love me?" she asked hesitantly, feeling far more nervous than she thought she would be at this moment. Daphne's fear suddenly spiked, and she wasn't certain exactly how to proceed. It was one thing to decide, to be honest with Harry, but it was an entirely different beast to actually do so.

"A great deal," Harry assured her, seeing no reason to deny it at this point.

"That's good," Daphne said, pausing to lick her suddenly dry lips. "That's very good, actually. I love you too, Harry. I hadn't planned on falling in love with you, of course. I hadn't planned any of this. Some Slytherin I am," she added with a forced chuckle. "I run away from home to avoid getting married and possibly losing my magic only to still get married and having the possibility of losing my magic if I don't provide you an heir."

"I've never even been with anyone other than Tracey! I'll probably make a terrible mess of it, I'm sure," Daphne said, beginning to babble due to being nervous and the fact that Harry was just sitting there and not saying anything at all. "I mean I love you and I want to give you an heir, but within a year is a bit sooner than I would have liked. I doubt I'll even make a good mother. I'm sure Luna would be much better at it than me or possibly Hermione. She's certain to have read plenty of books concerning it."

"Tracey and I have loved each other for so long. I don't know what I ever did to have her in my life. Truly I would be lost without her! I don't want to lose Tracey, but I love you both so much that it hurts at times. Then Tracey loves you as well and I'm not sure if I should be happy about that or jealous and if I'm supposed to be jealous should I be jealous of you or of her?"

"Luna says that we'll be like sisters, except Tracey as she isn't married to you. I was alright with that at first, but I want Tracey to be like a sister to Luna as well, but that can't be right because then she would have to be married to you. We're already in enough trouble over that as it is without adding more." Daphne continued on, hardly even pausing to draw a breath. "Everything could be for naught though if you have to go to Azkaban and I'm not really certain what I would do if that happened to you. It would be most unbearable to be away from you for ten years, Harry!"

"There are just so many things going on that I don't know what to do. I'm so happy that Anna is here now as I know how much she means to you but what I am supposed to do with her? I'm not her mum and it was Luna and you that adopted her so what does that make her to me? I don't know what to do anymore and my mind it racing in circles to where I think I might just end up going around the bend if I haven't already," the distraught witch declared before bursting into tears.

Harry was out of his seat in a second, crossing the short distance between them he dropped to his knees before gathering Daphne into his arms. Harry had no idea that Daphne had been holding so much inside or that anyone could without exploding. _Perhaps that is just what she has done_ , he thought to himself. "Shh," he said soothingly, gently rubbing Daphne's back, "it will be alright," he tried to assure her. The two stayed as such for several long moments as Daphne cried herself out.

"You must think me mental," Daphne finally sniffled into Harry's shoulder.

"Don't be silly," Harry said with a grin. "I've fought deranged dark lords and their mental followers. You have a long way to go to reach that level, Daphne." His words were rewarded with a soft wet giggle from his shoulder. "Here, now, sit up here so I can get you cleaned up," he said after several long moments passed while he let her cry as she seemed to need to.

Daphne hastily raised her hands and covered her face as she sat back. "Don't look at me, Harry! I must be a frightful mess," she commented from behind her hands.

Harry gently reached up and taking her wrists in his hands, pulled Daphne's hands away from her face. Leaning forward the young wizard captured the surprised witch's tear covered lips in a soft and tender kiss. Somewhere in the back of his head he mentally added Daphne to the list of kissed crying witches. It was a long moment before Harry released the captured soft lips. "I think your wonderfully gorgeous even when you're crying."

"Charmer," Daphne quipped with a small smile at his touching words. Even though her emotions and thoughts were all a mess at the moment, Harry's words none the less warmed her insides. _Damn, how could you not love him?_

"It's a work in progress," Harry replied, slipping a white handkerchief from his pocket and beginning to wipe the tears from Daphne's cheeks. "You all right, Daphne?" Harry enquired. The witch made a sad pouty face and gave a noncommittal shrug. Harry couldn't resist himself and leaned in, giving her plenty of time to turn away, and captured her cute pouting lips for another kiss. "Now?" he asked as he withdrew partially.

"One more," Daphne replied in a soft whisper, to which the wizard acquiesced to her request. Once their lips parted, Daphne said, "One more," her tone rather husky and needful.

Once again Harry leaned in and gently kissed the demanding witch. It was several minutes and a mutual need for air which finally separated them. "Will that hold you for a while?" Harry asked once the necessity of air was less pressing.

"I think so," Daphne answered with a slow nod of her head.

Harry stood, his knees having started to hurt from kneeling on the hardwood floor. _I'll have to remember to have Kreacher get some throw rugs or something._ Taking Daphne's hand in his, Harry drew her up till he could wrap his arms around her. "Hold on tight," he instructed her before he disapparitioned them both only to reappear in another location with a small crack of sound.

Daphne, once she got her bearing and was finally certain that breakfast wasn't about to make another appearance, looked around her curiously. "Your private quarters, my but aren't you bold," she teased Harry.

"N...not at all," Harry stammered in denial, realizing just how it might look from her perspective. _I'm glad I didn't aim for the bedroom_ , he thought, causing his cheeks to blush. Still, it was rather a pleasant change to hear her banter once again. "I just thought the couch up here might be a bit more comfortable for us both," he added with a gesture to one of the leather-bound sofas.

The two sat on the couch only for Daphne to slid over and wiggle in as close to Harry as she could get. "So, where were we?" she asked as she leaned in, prepared to continue from where they had left off down in the study.

"Talking," Harry replied, leaning his head, and attached lips, far enough away to where Daphne couldn't reach them only to see the witch's lips form into a faux pout.

"Fine," Daphne said, moving away from Harry enough so that she might turn and face him a bit more. Casting her eyes to her lap, she asked, "What do you want to talk about?" The young woman's insecurities suddenly made an appearance. Daphne couldn't help but feel as though she had made a fool of herself downstairs. _At least he didn't laugh at me_ , she thought as her cheeks heated into an embarrassed blush.

Harry, perhaps sensing Daphne's uneasiness, reached out and took one of her hands in his and gave it a gentle squeeze. "It's alright, Daphne," he told her. "We'll get through this together. Remember we're a team now."

"I…I'm sorry about downstairs," Daphne managed to stammer out. Harry was gently stroking the back of the hand that he held with his thumb, and for some reason she found this to be very distracting. "I shouldn't have said those things to you. They're not your problems after all. They're mine."

"So, then the prospect of me going to Azkaban is not your problem either?" Harry countered with.

"Of course it is!" Daphne barked, her head jumping up so she could look at him. "How could you even say such a thing?"

"If my problems are your problems then your fears and concerns are mine as well," Harry answered, a grin spreading across his features. Seeing a look of understanding pass over Daphne's face, Harry continued. "I guess the pressing problem is what do you and Tracey want?"

Daphne gave a mental sigh, realizing that what Harry said was true. They were married which meant that they shared everything or at least were supposed to. _If we are going to make this craziness work somehow, we first have to learn to not try and do everything on our own I guess_. Daphne had a feeling that would be easier for her to do than for Harry.

"Tracey and I have spoken about this, and we have a proposal we'd like to suggest," Daphne finally said, stealing herself for what was to come. "I have already spoken with Luna, and she has agreed to it as well though the details will still have to be worked out." Swallowing her fears, Daphne pushed on boldly. "We would like to share you among the three of us."

Harry thought over Daphne's words carefully, trying desperately to ignore his raging hormones which were screaming their ecstatic support for the witch's proposal. "If that is what the three of you want and you feel it will make you all happy then I will do my best to support it," Harry finally replied, hastily raising one hand to forestall Daphne from saying anything further as he wasn't done just yet.

"However, I would like to add that if at any time one of you change your minds you be forthwith and tell all of us. The last thing I want is any of you feeling trapped or pressured into this arrangement," Harry stated. "I realize it may seem like a straightforward and easy way to resolve this but once we are actually living that way it may prove more than any of you are willing to deal with."

"I think that is acceptable," Daphne answered, touched that Harry seemed more concerned about her, Tracey and Luna than anything else. "Let me discuss it with the others and see what they think, though I doubt they will have any objections."

"There is one thing else I need you to do," Harry began in a rather serious tone, causing Daphne to start to fret as she wondered what it could be. "Talk to me," Harry continued with, his expression softening. "If this is going to work we have to be able to talk to one another about what is bothering us. I'm sure I'll have a more difficult time doing that than you will," he added with a small, lopsided grin that unbeknownst to him, always caused Daphne's heart to skip a beat.

"I…I'll do my best," Daphne assured him to which Harry gave a nod of acceptance. "So, these are your private quarters," Daphne said looking about her. "How about a tour?" she suggested in an effort to change the subject, feeling that they had at least covered the major issues for the time being.

Harry chuckled, glad for something to do other than continue with their previous discussion. "Not much to see really," He said as she stood and then used Daphne's hand he still retained a hold on to draw her to her feet. "Over there are books, a billiards table, the fireplace and that door there leads to my bedroom."

"Can I see it?" Daphne asked in an innocent tone.

"Sure," Harry said, before leading her over to the door and opening it and motioning her through. "Nothing too unusual," Harry commented with a chuckle. "Bed, wardrobe, fireplace, loo," he stated he as went and stood at the foot of the bed and surveyed the room while pointing out the item he spoke of. "Pretty average I would think," he added turning to look towards Daphne who was suddenly a great deal closer than she had been. "Daphne?" Harry squeaked out as the witch invaded his personal space.

"So," Daphne purred in a soft husky voice, "I heard while at Hogwarts, that after making up from a fight there is something called a makeup snogging? As Tracey and I never fought while in school I never got to have one of those," she confessed as she slowly walked two fingers enticingly up Harry's chest. "I always wondered what one would be like, Harry."

"R…really?" Harry stammered. He would have expected the alarms from his flight and flee preservation instinct to be going off right about now but apparently, the hormones that had been screaming before were busy pummeling said instincts into submission. Not to mention that there was a rather serious change in the direction of his blood flow which he thought might account for the sudden light-headed feeling he was having.

Daphne backed the wizard up till he hit the bed and then with a gentle, but insistent shove, pushed Harry down onto the bed before climbing on top of him. "You will show me what that is like, won't you Harry?" Daphne asked, slowly batting her eyes in what could only be called a come-hither look.

Harry, fully on the side of his hormones by this time, didn't need to be reminded of what he had told Andi and Luna. A padded room at St. Mongo's was the furthest thing from his mind at the moment. "Well, if you insist," Harry said with a cheeky grin. The two would finally surface for air just in time to make it to the midday meal.

After seating Daphne in her chair with a loving smile, the wizard seated himself. Serving himself a sandwich, Harry opened his mouth to ask what everyone's plans were for the afternoon only to be interrupted by the arrival of a Patronus in the form of a Jack Russell Terrier. The very anxious voice of Ron Weasley issued from the conjured animal. "Harry you're needed at St. Mongo's immediately! Ginny's been seriously injured!"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This will more than likely be my last post for the year. I doubt I will have another chapter ready to go before the holidays are in full swing. I would like to take a moment to thank everyone who has read, favored, followed or left a review. You are all far better than my meager words deserve, and I greatly appreciate you one and all. Regardless of where you reside or what holiday you do or don't celebrate. I would like to wish you and yours a wonderful New Year, and I hope that 2017 brings you hearts filled with love and happiness for the entire year.
> 
> I'm still cleaning up the mess from Christmas. Their Christmas, not mine. :) Daphne has always struck me as a little high-strung, as the saying goes. Of course, that doesn't mean that she doesn't have good reason to be. I guess you can say it is just a part of her character…at least as far as my story goes. It is good to see things finally being resolved though where she and Harry are concerned. Thanks to Luna that is. Gotta love the little Ravenclaw! Till next year.
> 
> As always, your reviews are not required, but they are greatly appreciated.
> 
> Kind Regards,
> 
> EJ Daniels
> 
> All characters within this story, unless otherwise stated are the sole property of J. K. Rowling the original writer of the Harry Potter series.


	30. A Promise To Keep

**Chapter 30 – A Promise To Keep  
. . .**

Harry Potter sped through the floo network in route to St Mungo's Hospital for Magical Maladies and Injuries. Though Ginny and he had broken up several months back, she would always hold a special place in the wizard's heart. Harry couldn't help but wonder what had happened to Ginny and if it was due to something he had done. Visions of Death Eaters wanting revenge fluttered through his mind almost as quickly as the floo gates he hastened past.

Stepping from the floo and into the lobby of St. Mungo's, Harry quickly spotting the waiting redhead. Ron wore what could only be called a worried expression. His hair, once long and a bit unruly was cut short, a byproduct of going through Auror training no doubt, Harry thought. "Hey, mate. What happened?" Harry enquired.

"Bloody hell! It's about time you got here," Ron opened with as he grabbed Harry's arm and started leading his down the hallway. "It's bad, Harry, otherwise I wouldn't have called for you," the red-head said over his shoulder as he led the way. "I know you guys broke up and all but I didn't know who else to call."

"I got here as quickly as I could," Harry replied in his own defense. Short of apparition, there were no faster means than floo travel. St. Mungo's did not allow for non-emergency apparition directly into the hospital, so floo or walking in really was the only means. "It's all right, Ron. What happened to Ginny?" Harry asked again.

"She was practicing with the Harpies," Ron explained as he directed them up a flight of stairs and down and adjacent hallway. "One of their Beaters was under the weather, so Gin stood in for them. You know she's always been pants as a beater, not like the twins at all. So there she was trying her best, at least as I heard it when she was hit by both bludgers at once! Thankfully only one hit her in the back of her head."

Harry recalled Oliver Wood telling him that he had been hit in the head by a bludger his first game and had been knocked unconscious for a couple of days. "Is she alright?" Harry asked hesitantly, fearful of the answer he might receive.

Ron stopped before a closed door and sighed heavily. It was readily apparent to Harry that his friend was having a difficult time talking about it. "Perhaps it would be best if you saw for yourself, Harry. I'm hoping you'll have better luck with her than I did."

With a heavy swallow and a sense of foreboding, Harry reached out and opened the door. Stepping through the doorway, he first noticed the bright red hair, a Weasley trademark, against the stark white sheets on the bed. Stray strands of amber escaped through the gauze bandage that enwrapped Ginny's head. The witch's head turned, and hazel eyes regarded Harry with blank recognition. "Hey, Gin. How are you feeling?" Harry asked as he crossed to her bedside.

Ginny regarded the wizard blankly for a long moment before she responded. "I'm sorry, do I know you?" The young witch sat up in her bed and adjusted the pillows behind her absently as she greeted her guests.

"It's me, Harry," the young man answered with a forced smile as he slowly made his way to her. _Bloody hell! She's lost her memories_ , Harry thought in disbelief. "We're friends. Went to school together and everything. Even dated for a bit," Harry added with an unsteady chuckle.

"This is all so confusing," Ginny stated in a frustrated tone as her brow creased in confusion. "He says he's my brother," Ginny said with a nod towards Ron. "You say you're my boyfriend and yet I have no memories of anything before waking up earlier today."

Harry turned a pleading look towards Ron only to see that the Auror in training had his back turned, and his shoulders were shaking in silent misery. _Poor Ron is so upset that he can barely keep it together_ , Harry realized. _How will Missus Weasley take the news?_ Ginny was the youngest of the Weasley clan as well as the only girl which meant that she was doted on by the rest of her family. _They're going to be devastated_ , he realized.

"It will be alright, Gin," Harry tried to reassure the injured witch before him. "I'm sure the Healers will get you sorted in a tic or two, and your memories will return. You'll be right as rain, you will!"

"But what if they can't?" Ginny asked in a sad little voice. "I didn't know that Ron was my brother or that you're my boyfriend! What if I never get my memories back!"

Running a hasty hand through his hair Harry's gaze dropped to the floor. The young man was a bit uncertain if he should correct Ginny or not, given her current condition but he didn't want her to be under false assumptions either. "Well, truthfully, we're not boyfriend and girlfriend anymore," he finally said.

"We're not?" Ginny asked in a surprised tone. "What happened?"

"Well…," Harry started with, hastily trying to decide just how to answer that question, "It was me. I was pants at being a proper boyfriend, Gin. In the end, you realized that and kicked me to the curb. You probably should have done it sooner. I was lucky to have you as long as I did." Harry decided it would be best to upset her as little as possible and taking the blame for their breakup would hopefully do that.

"I did? Really?" Ginny inquired only to see Harry nod in agreement. "Did we at least stay friends?"

"Sure," Harry quickly replied, his head rising and looking at the injured girl. "Of course we did."

"So, we wrote and stayed in touch with each other?" Ginny pressed with a puzzled frown.

"Loads," Harry lied.

"Funny, I don't remember a single letter," Ginny stated, her expression turning to one of anger. "Not even a Christmas card! I know we broke up, but I thought we'd at least still remain friends, Harry!"

"We are!" Harry replied defensively before the witch's words sunk in. "Wait, what?" the confused Wizard asked as he suddenly realized that Ginny had all of her memories. "Bloody hell, what's going on here?" Behind him, Harry suddenly heard Ron, unable to hold it in any longer, burst out laughing.

"I think that was a prank well played, Gin," Ron complimented his sister. "Worthy of the twins for sure."

Harry turned to look at his best mate in disbelief. "You knew?"

"Sorry mate," Ron replied, holding up his hands in surrender, "she forced me to go along with it. Threatened to hex my bits off if I didn't."

"You're an Auror aren't you?" Harry persisted with.

"In training," Ron pointed out in his own defense. "It's Ginny!" he added as if that said it all. In some ways, it did.

"Honestly, Harry," Ginny exclaimed a bit exasperatedly, "I was growing tired of waiting for you to contact me to see how I was doing. I know we broke up and all but I thought we were still friends at least?"

"We are," Harry insisted, turning back to face Ginny. "I've just been rather busy is all," he added a bit evasively.

Ginny regarded Harry for a long moment. She may not know him as well as Hermione, but she knew him well enough to know when he wasn't telling her everything. "Ron, can you be a dear and get me something to drink, please. I think it is about lunch time so if you want to grab a bite to eat that's fine."

Ron, never one to pass up a meal when possible, readily agreed. "Alright, be back in a bit. Go easy on him, Gin," he cautioned his sister before slipping out the room and closing the door behind him so they could have some privacy.

"So, what's going on, Harry?" the remaining redhead asked as she budged over and patted the empty spot on the bed for Harry to sit. "What's had you so busy that you couldn't even spare a few minutes to write and see how I was doing? Mum missed you over the holidays and was more than a little upset that you didn't drop by for a visit," Ginny said in a disapproving tone.

Harry took the seat on the edge of the bed facing her. "You wouldn't believe me if I told you, Gin. I don't even believe it all at times," he added with a heavy sigh. Harry had known Ginny for many years and long before they had dated they had been friends. Truth be told she was one of his oldest friends in the Wizarding world. If it weren't for the fact that they had once dated, he probably would have been thankful to have someone to talk to concerning everything.

"I think you forget that I was there at Hogwarts for most of the craziness that is your life," Ginny reminded him with a small smile. "I may not have been able to run off with you as Hermione and Ron did but I think I have an understanding of just what you guys went through from talking to you three. I doubt there is anything you can say that would truly surprise me, Harry," Ginny said as she reached out and gave his arm a reassuring squeeze.

In the way of answer, Harry held up both hands and allowed the rings on his fingers to become visible. "Are you sure?"

"Bloody hell," Ginny swore in a disbelieving breath. "I think you better start at the beginning."

Harry took a deep breath and gathered his thoughts for a long moment. A part of him couldn't believe he was about to tell everything to his former fiancé, but another part of him knew that it would probably help to be able to talk about it. Usually, he would talk to Hermione about such things, but as she was a part of what was happening in his life, he couldn't very well do that.

"Well, I guess it all started when I visited Gringotts to check into my finances," Harry opened with. "Sirius had made me his heir, leaving me the Black family fortune and my parents had left me with a vault as well. The two together left me relatively well off. It also left me with several properties from the Black family."

"I'm not surprised as the Black family is rather old blood," Ginny interjected. "They are rumored to be one of the wealthiest of families."

"They are," Harry confirmed. "It turned out that they had a large piece of land in Essex that held the family's ancestral home. It was a terribly large place with its own lake and everything. I turned it into The Lupin Home in memory of Remus and Tonks. It is now an orphanage of sorts but not just for children but rather for families as well who've been displaced due to the war."

Ginny couldn't help but smile as that was just like Harry. "I bet the Blacks are rolling over in their graves!"

"All but Sirius," Harry replied with a chuckle. "I'm certain he's having a good laugh as muggles, muggle-born and blood traitors calling the former Black Manor their new home." The two had a good laugh over that for a minute before Harry continued. "I also had a house built in a corner of the property as I did not feel like remaining at Grimmauld Place."

"It was during one of my trips to London that I ran into a former classmate. She was stranded in London with but a few galleons and without her wand," Harry explained, remembering the day he had met Daphne.

"And so you offered her to come stay with you?" Ginny guessed only to see a surprised look appear on Harry's face. "One thing everyone knows about you Harry is that you are noble, almost too noble for your own good. It would be near impossible for you to leave a witch stranded like that. So, who is she?"

"Daphne Greengrass," Harry replied a bit hesitantly, fearing that Ginny might get angry. "I couldn't just leave her," he quickly added in his defense. "I figured she would be safe as she was in love with someone else."

"Tracey Davis," Ginny offered, much to Harry's surprise once again. "I may not gossip like some of my other classmates, but that doesn't mean I didn't listen to the rumors that floated around. Enough people were saying that she flew on the other side of the broom to make it a bit more than a rumor," Ginny explained.

Having never heard that story while at school…or listened to rumors at all for that matter, Harry couldn't say anything. "Well, then it should come as little surprise then that Tracey started living at Westfield as well. Daphne was a bit lonely and asked that her friend be allowed to stay for a while. I was rather distracted at the time with Andi moving in with Teddy that I really didn't pay it much mind."

"Andi and Teddy?" Ginny prompted.

"Andi is Tonk's mum and Teddy is the son of Remus and Tonks, my godson," Harry explained, his smile dipped as he thought of Teddy's missing parents. "Andi wanted to return to school but couldn't really due to needing to take care of Teddy and all. I thought it would be great to have them there as well, being as they are the only real family I have now."

"Wow, Harry," Ginny exclaimed in a teasing tone. "I leave you alone for a bit, and you suddenly have three witches under your roof."

Harry ran a shaky hand through his hair, "A bit more than that actually," he confessed. Upon seeing Ginny's arched brow, he continued to explain. "I was urgently called to St. Mungo's one night. Mister Lovegood apparently had been ill all summer long, and for some reason, he wanted to speak with me." Ginny, like most others, didn't know that Xeno had tried to sell Ron, Hermione, and Harry to the Snatchers to get Luna back. It was something that the three of them had agreed to keep secret.

"Luna's father?" Ginny asked, only to see Harry nod. Growing up she had spent a lot of time playing with Luna, she being the only other girl her age in the area. Even though the blonde girl could be a bit off at times, Ginny still considered Luna as one of her best friends.

"He wasn't doing very well," Harry continued from where he left off. "The Healers said it was a wasting sickness that they had never seen before or something. Mister Lovegood made me promise that I would take care of Luna and make certain that she was not alone. That I would treat her as if she were my own. I'm certain he just wanted me to take care of her as he would. Right after I promised to do so, he passed away."

"I remember that," Ginny said in a sorrowful tone of voice. "The Harpies were on the road, and I couldn't get away to attend the funeral."

"He was laid to rest beside Luna's mum," Harry told her. "Mister Lovegood had made me his heir before he passed, which made me the head of the Lovegood house. I had to go to Hogwarts and tell Luna that her father had died," Harry stated, his heart nearly breaking as he recalled that night and the effect it had on Luna at the time.

Hearing the pain in Harry's voice, Ginny reached out and took his hand in hers and gave it a gentle squeeze. "That couldn't have been easy," she said.

"I wasn't. One of the hardest things I think I've ever had to do actually," Harry confessed. "Luna, understandably so, was a mess and fell apart right there in the Headmistress's office. I knew I couldn't leave Luna there all by herself so I took her back with me to Westfield Manor. It took weeks to put her back together again. I still don't think she has gotten over it completely." Harry decided to leave out the bit concerning the resurrection stone as it wasn't essential to his tale.

"Well that explains why you have the Potter, Black and Lovegood rings, what about the others?" Ginny asked, feeling it would be better for Harry to continue talking rather than dwelling on such a sad subject as the passing of Luna's father.

Harry slipped his hand free of Ginny's and willed the Davis ring to appear again, having vanished along with the other rings when Harry wasn't concentrating on them. "This is the Davis head of house ring," he said, tapping the front of the ring with one finger. "They were in a bit of financial trouble and were about to lose everything. I managed to work out a deal with them that saw me becoming the head of the Davis house as well as the owner of Divine Dresses by Davis."

Ginny gasped, "I would kill for a dress from there! Only the most elite can afford them, though," she added wistfully. Every young witch dreamed of being a princess and in most those dreams the dress being worn was from Divine Dresses by Davis.

"Tracey has plans to hopefully change that," Harry informed the witch with him only to see a hopeful expression appear upon Ginny's face. "One of the reasons the Davises were in such financial trouble was because their cliental is very limited. While they make the most expensive garments, they can only sell a limited number per year as well. Tracey has plans to expand the business to include a more reasonably priced line."

"Really?" Ginny exclaimed excitedly. With her salary from the Harpies, she could afford to spend a bit, and a new wardrobe seemed to be in her future if that were true. "Do you know what she will be offering? How much will they cost? When can I buy them?"

Harry held up his hands to forestall further questions. "Gin, I'm just the silent partner in the business. Tracey is the owner or will be once she pays me back, but I really don't know anything more than I've told you. You'll just have to wait till the shop reopens I guess." Once again Harry left out the part of the Davises wanting to sell him, Tracey, deeming it not necessary to his tale.

Ginny frowned, not happy with the news but understood there was little she could do about it. "So that makes you the head of four houses then?"

"Five actually," Harry corrected her with a nervous chuckle.

"Five?" Ginny questioned. "I think you need to explain that to me.

"I'm getting to that," Harry replied. "When Daphne came to stay with me I was looking through old Wizarding customs. Andi had been cast out of the Black family for marrying a muggle-born, Tonk's father. I was meeting with Andi for the first time, and I wanted to right that wrong and bring her back into the Black family," Harry explained upon seeing Ginny's questioning look.

"While reading through what was considered proper etiquette, I happen to recall that it was considered good form to notify a family head when one of their own was staying under your roof. So, I sent a missive to Mister Greengrass informing him that Daphne was staying with me and that I would look after her well-being for the time," Harry stated.

"Let me guess, that was the wrong thing to do?" Ginny questioned. Knowing Harry, and the string of rather bad luck the man had all through his time at Hogwarts, it wasn't hard to imagine that something terribly wrong had happened due to such a harmless gesture as sending a note.

"Yes and no. It was the right thing to do according to custom, just not the right thing to do at the time apparently," Harry conceded. "Daphne had run away from home to try and avoid a marriage contract her father was placing her in."

"Did you know this ahead of time?" Ginny cut in with.

"Not right at that moment I didn't. I knew that the chances of Daphne appearing right there at that exact time in front of me were about as probable as McGonagall waltzing about the school with Moody," Harry replied.

"She did the waltz with Ron," Ginny pointed out with a grin.

"Still one of my favorite memories from fourth-year!" Harry replied with an answering grin. "The look on his face when she told him to place his hand on her hip!" The two of them had a good laugh at Ron's expense.

"The twins would remind him of that every chance they got," Ginny confided. "If Mum had the wireless on and was listening to music they would waltz through the room arm in arm." Ginny grinned recalling just how red Ron had gotten till their mum had chased the twins off. "So, back to Daphne," she said to steer the conversation back on track.

"Yes, well," Harry said as he gathered his thoughts once more. "Things were going rather well. Lupin Home was running smoothly once I hired some additional help. It is amazing just how much paperwork there was before Padma took it over."

"Padma Patil?" Ginny questioned.

Harry gave a nod. "I hired her and her sister as well as Susan Bones to help manage the place. I don't know what I would do without them!" Harry let her in on. "They really have been lifesavers!"

Ginny frowned upon hearing that another three witches had been added to the story. _I'm starting to see a pattern here_ , she mused silently. "Anyone else living with you?" the young witch asked evenly.

"They don't live with me," Harry corrected her. "They live at the Lupin Home. There is Mary, though. She went to school with my mum and has the most wonderful stories of mum and dad!" Harry added with a huge grin that stretched from ear to ear. Ginny could tell just how much those stories meant to Harry. "I hired Mary to teach the girls so that they could take their NEWTs."

"That still doesn't explain the other ring, Harry," Ginny pointed out to nudge the story back on course.

"I'm getting to that," Harry replied. "So, things were going well. Hermione came and stayed with us for the holidays." Harry felt it best to not mention fetching Hermione's parents from Australia for Christmas considering the huge fight Ginny, and he had over the fact that he had gone with Hermione to retrieve her parents in the first place. Leaving out the fact that Hermione was in love with him also seemed like a smart move, all things considered. "I managed to get Christmas presents for everyone, even buying Daphne's wand from her father so that she would have it for classes."

Harry took a deep breath, gathered his Gryffindor courage, and pressed on with his tale. "It appears that there is some old law on the books that provides for buying a witch's wand and giving it to her as a form of marriage contract. The result was that Daphne and I are now married apparently."

Ginny gasped at the news, never having suspected as much. She had thought that maybe some of the girls were chasing after The Boy Who Lived for his fame, but not marriage. A part of her felt a pain of jealousy that Harry was married to someone other than herself. "I bet that didn't go over well?"

"Not hardly," Harry admitted, a bit surprised at how well Ginny seemed to be taking the news. "Daphne punched me in the face before storming out of the place and returning home. Tracey gave me a good yelling before following her. Hermione returned to Hogwarts with McGonagall to research what had happened."

"What about Luna?" Ginny asked as Harry hadn't mentioned the former Ravenclaw as yet.

"Luna wasn't home at the time," Harry explained. "She'd gone to visit her parents. By the time Luna had returned I was not in the best of shape, having downed a considerable amount of firewhiskey by then. While she was out, she had come to a realization of what I had promised her father. A part of it stated that I would give Luna a family you see. I guess she felt that there wasn't really a reason to wait."

"You bedded her?" Ginny gasped, completely shocked by the turn of events.

"Technically I think she bedded me, but yeah," Harry confessed, his eyes dropping to his hands in his lap as he was unable to look at the witch before him. "Luna told me she loved me," he went on to explain. "No one had ever said that to me before. I cared greatly for Luna, and once she explained the promise and what it meant, I agreed and saw no reason to wait. I even asked her to marry me, and she said yes." Harry said the last part as if he still couldn't believe it.

Ginny felt a pain of guilt as she realized that all through the time they had been together she never had once said those three little words to Harry. Not for the first time she had to question if what she had actually felt for the wizard was really love or something else. "What happened?" Ginny asked, almost fearful of what the answer would be.

Harry lifted his left hand and willed the Greengrass and Lovegood rings into existence. "Magic accepted the proposal and married Luna and me even though I was already married to Daphne just hours before. Don't ask me how or why because I honestly don't know. I have my solicitor's looking into the matter currently as well as everyone else at Westfield."

"That can't actually be legal, Harry," Ginny felt obligated to point out.

"It's not," Harry agreed. "There is a mandatory ten-year sentence in Azkaban for it."

Ginny could do little more than sit and shake her head in disbelief. "Only you, Harry Potter. Only you could find yourself in such a mess. I told you back in August that you'd be absolutely pants at taking care of yourself without me there, didn't I? Now here you are with five women under your roof, and you're married to two of them."

"Eight living there actually," Harry corrected, figuring he might as well tell all the truth. "Hermione moved in shortly after Christmas and Astoria, Daphne's younger sister, came to stay with us when Daphne finally returned."

"Wait a minute. You're married to Daphne, but that doesn't explain how you have the Greengrass head of house ring," Ginny remarked, deciding to ignore the fact that two more witches were living with Harry for the moment.

"That is due to Daphne. As you might suspect she was none too pleased to find out that she was married to me. She threatened to go to the Prophet with the entire story unless her father made me his heir and then abdicated his position to me. It was rather brilliant actually," Harry said with pride in his tone at how well Daphne had done.

"Wait, that's seven. Daphne, Tracey, Andi, Mary, Luna, Hermione and Astoria," Ginny said, extending a finger for each girl named. "You told me you had eight witches living with you?"

"Eight women," Harry corrected with a softening smile. "Only seven of them are witches." Seeing Ginny's questioning look, Harry went on to explain. "There was a young girl orphaned by the war. A non-magical girl. She and I became rather close. I think she reminded me of myself a bit. The first time I met Anna, it was in a cupboard at The Lupin Home. She'd taken up living in it, and the poor elves were beside themselves on what to do with her."

"Over the course of several months we grew close," Harry continued to explain. "There were times, what with all that was going on with the others, that Anna was the only bit of normality in my life. Just recently a couple came forward to adopt Anna, though. I was worried as they were apparently from our world. I needn't have worried as Luna had arranged for Anna to be adopted by her and myself. So now I am a father of sorts," Harry concluded.

Ginny knew that Harry wasn't telling her everything just as he had never told her everything that he, Ron and Hermione had done. It was a fact of life she had come to terms with some time ago. When she had first asked Harry what was wrong, she certainly hadn't expected to learn that he was married twice over and had a daughter. The young witch had really just wanted him to talk to her a bit. "Feel better?" Ginny inquired as she cocked her head to one side and regarded the wizard before her.

Harry actually thought about her question and was a bit surprised to discover that he actually did feel better. "Yes, actually I do. I think it helped just to talk about it with someone who is not directly involved with it." Harry regarded Ginny, noting that there seemed to be something different with the witch, but in a good way. "You've changed."

Ginny snorted, something he had never seen her do before. "A bit," Ginny admitted. "I was a pretty spoiled princess thanks to my family. Mostly thanks to me, though," she added so as not to blame her family entirely. "It didn't take long for the other Harpies to grow tired of that and let me know they weren't going to put up with it. It's amazing just how banged up you can get during practice. I was black and blue all over before I wised up," Ginny confessed.

Harry's face grew stern. "Is that what happened?" he asked in a serious tone. "Did this happen because they were taking it out on you?"

"Relax, Harry," Ginny said, reaching out and clasping his arm to keep him in place as if he were about to run out and have words with the Harpies. It touched Ginny none the less that Harry still felt that protective of her. _I bet he would go off on them all if I let him…not that it wouldn't be funny to see._ "That was a while ago," she assured the irate wizard. "I learned my lesson, and this was nothing more than a regular accident." Ginny waited till Harry had calmed down before asking, "So what now?"

"I don't know," Harry replied with a shrug. "I have people working on it, and I'll just have to wait and see what they find I guess. You seem to be taking this all rather well, Gin?" Harry question. A small part of the wizard was a bit hurt that Ginny hadn't gotten all jealous and went off on him like he half expected.

"Like I said, Harry, I've been around you long enough to realize just how crazy your life can be at times," Ginny replied with a grin. "Perhaps it was asking too much for that to change just because you defeated Voldemort."

"Perhaps," Harry agreed in a resigned tone. The two talked for a while about the Harpies and how Ginny fitted in. Before long Ron returned with Ginny's requested drink in hand. Harry excused himself, stating that he had to get back. After giving Ginny a hug and a chaste kiss on the cheek, he walked out with Ron beside him. "You should come by sometime, Ron."

"I've still got training, mate," the red-head replied. "I wouldn't be here now if it wasn't for the fact that mum and dad are off seeing Charlie in Romania. Bill is off on work for Gringotts and George won't leave the shop," Ron explained. "We get a bit of a break around the Easter hols. I could drop by then if that'll work?"

"Sure, mate," Harry replied, slapping Ron on the back. "You're added to the floo into Westfield Manor so drop by anytime you like."

"Thanks, mate," Ron said, and the two parted company with Harry returning home and Ron returning to Auror training.

**-oOo-**

"Where is he?" Anna asked for the numerous time. The newest resident of Westfield Manor was seated on the floor playing with Teddy. An assortment of wooden animals was spread about the floor as they played zoo. Even as she voiced her question, Teddy picked up a horse and made it fly once again. Anna had tried to tell him that horses didn't fly but apparently, he was having none of it.

"I told you sweetie, a friend of ours was injured and Harry has gone to visit her in the hospital," Luna calmly stated yet again. "I'm sure he will be back just as soon as he is certain she is alright." The threesome had just returned from the Lupin Home and Teddy's play date with the other children. The young metamorphmagus had started to fall asleep playing, so Luna had scooped him up and returned home to put him down for a kip. Teddy had other ideas though and seemed to get his second, or was it third, wind on the broom ride back to Westfield.

"I know," Anna replied in a low whine, not appeased at all by the reason for the wizard's absence. Truth be told the small girl was rather frightened that her living with Harry and the others would be taken away from her just as her first family had been. The intelligent child had overheard several stories regarding her Harry and how he had fought in some war, defeating some evil guy whose name must not be spoken. _How silly! How can speaking a person's name hurt you,_ she wondered _._ It hadn't taken her long to realize that the war they were talking about was what had cost her the family she was born into.

Anna was glad to have a family once again but having lost one already she was also afraid of losing this one. The young girl was also a bit confused about what she should call Harry and Luna as she already had a mum and dad. Harry's actions around the others in the house also confused the young girl to no end. _It's like they are all married to my Harry_ , she thought. _Maybe Harry just loves us all?_ She finally settled on.

Still, Anna couldn't help but worry when Harry was gone like this. The wizard had become the center of her world over the last several months. It truly wasn't all that surprising to those over at the Lupin Home. Anna was lost and adrift and Harry had, in his own special way, reached out and comforted the small child. Anna, having lost everyone near and dear to her had latched onto Harry like he was a lifeline to a drowning girl. "I just miss him when he isn't here," she confessed finally.

"I know," Luna stated, "I miss him too. Still, we can't expect him to sit around here all day with us."

"We can't?" Anna inquired with a creased brow as she looked at Luna.

"No, we can't, even if that would be rather enjoyable," Luna affirmed with a small dreamy smile. "Our Harry has a great many things he needs to attend to besides just us. He has the entire Lupin Home to look after as well as several other businesses. Being who Harry is, his responsibilities are many," Luna explained.

"But wouldn't he rather be here with us?" Anna persisted as only a small child can.

Luna smiled at the young girl. "I'm certain he would much rather be here with you, sweetie. We don't always get to do what we want to," she tried to explain. "You certainly don't like to eat your carrots, but Winky makes certain you do," Luna pointed out by way of example.

"Carrots are yucky," Anna declared with a scrunched up _eww_ face. Reaching out she snagged the flying horse from the air as it buzzed about her head and set it back on the floor. "Teddy horses don't fly," she told the toddler once again.

"Harry has ridden on a flying horse," Luna said in that soft tone that one uses when sharing a secret.

"Really?" Anna exclaimed in surprise, completely ignoring the triumphant look Teddy was shooting in her direction.

"Well, Thestrals aren't actually horses, though they are close enough, I guess," Luna continued with, giving a small nod of her head as she spoke to answer Anna's question.

"I want to fly on one!" Anna stated in a determined voice. "Do you think Harry will let me?"

"Will I let you what?" the wizard in question asked as he brushed the soot from his clothes with a wave of his hand. The two hadn't heard the floo activate as they were so engrossed in their conversation. Harry barely had time to clean himself before a brown-haired missile, traveling far faster than two legs should be able to propel it, slammed into him. "Hey there," Harry offered with a small smile as he hugged Anna.

"You were gone forever!" Anna exclaimed into the wizard's stomach, her voice slightly muffled.

"Someone has been anxiously awaiting your return," Luna offered, clueing in the confused wizard.

Feeling something run into his leg Harry glanced down only to see Teddy hugging on him. The small toddler still wobbled, a bit unsteady on his feet. "Hello, little man. Did you miss me too?" Harry asked as he reached down and ruffled Teddy's black hair.

"Up!" Teddy demanded, thrusting both hands into the air so that he could be picked up.

Harry, always one to indulge, obediently scooped up the young metamorphmagus and deposited him on one hip. Taking Anna's hand in his, Harry led her over to the couch where he sat, pulling Anna onto the sofa next to him. "Now, what's this all about," he enquired as he set Teddy upon his knee and started bouncing the child, much to Teddy's delight and squeals of laughter.

"You should stay here with us," Anna replied bluntly, her eyes dropping to her hand still held by Harry where it rested in her lap.

"As much as I would love to always be here with you, Anna, there are things I need to do and places I need to go," Harry tried to explain.

"I don't care!" Anna exclaimed defiantly. "You have to stay here! You can't leave me!"

Hearing the note of desperation in the young girl's voice, Harry thought he understood what was happening. "Just because I leave doesn't mean I won't be coming back," he told Anna. "We're a family now. You, me, Luna, Teddy, I'll never leave you guys. I will always be here."

"Momma and Papa used to tell me that too," Ann pointed out. "They said we'd always be together," the upset child whimpered as a tear slide down her cheek.

"I know sweetie," Harry replied as he slipped his hand from Anna's and used his arm to pull the crying child into his lap. "I'm sure they wanted to be with you always and forever. They just got caught up in something they never should have been involved with," he told Anna. It was always nasty business when muggles were dragged into the affairs of the Wizarding World. "But that's over with now. We put a stop to the war, so you've nothing to worry about."

"But I heard them talking," Anna replied with a wet sniffle. "They said you might have to go away someplace for ten years!"

"That's not going to happen," Harry said, hoping he sounded convincing.

Anna, sat up a bit and turned to look at Harry before asking, "Promise?"

Smiling at the child's serious question Harry gave a small nod, "I promise."

Anna held out a hand between her and Harry. The young wizard looked down at the small curved finger before him only to hear the girl in his lap ask, "Pinky swear?"

Using his hand that had been holding the crying child, Harry hooked his smallest finger around Anna's. "Pinky swear," he agreed. Not to be left out, Teddy's tiny hand came to rest on their joined fingers as if he was witnessing the promise.

Luna, having remained silent during the entire exchange, couldn't help but smile at the image of the three of them before her. Standing, the witch came over and collected Teddy. "It is nearly time for dinner so we'd best get you lot washed up," she said, holding out a hand for Anna once she had the toddler settled on one hip.

Anna slid from Harry's lap as she took the offered hand. Harry watched three of the most important people in his life walk away, and he couldn't help but wonder how'd he'd gotten so lucky.

"What do you think we'll have tonight?" Anna asked.

"I don't know," Luna replied as Teddy played with the witch's hair, "but I'm sure it will be good."

"I hope there aren't any carrots," Anna quipped just before the trio disappeared from the room.

"Well, that's one promise I can't afford not to keep," Harry told himself softly. _Far be it from me to break a sacred pinky swear promise after all_.

**-oOo-**

Draco made his way down the stairs and headed towards the large fireplace to floo out from Malfoy Manor only to be stopped by the sound of his father's voice. "Going someplace?" the elder Malfoy inquired.

Turning, the Malfoy heir gave a short nod in the way of reply. "I thought a night out with some company of the female persuasion was called for," Draco added, playing the part of the jilted lover. "I could use a little distraction at the moment."

"Perhaps I should come with you?" Lucius offered with an arched brow. That was, in fact, the very last thing the young Malfoy wanted and not just because it would be more than a little strange. Luckily his mother decided to make her entrance right at that moment.

"Not if you want to keep your bits attached where they are, husband mine," Narcissa said as she strode into the room, impeccably dressed as always and with a glass of wine in one hand. "Let the boy go have some fun for a change Lucius. Just be sure to use a contraceptive charm," the witch added. The last directed at her son.

"You're too easy on the boy," Lucius growled, none the less waving his son on.

Draco lost little time in flooing to Diagon Alley. It was a short walk over to Knockturn Alley and one of the many brothels that called that place home. In short order, the young wizard had purchased a room for the night and a wench for entertainment. It was only upon entering the room that Draco handed the woman a bag of gold and told her to go home for the remainder of the night. "If anyone asks, we spent the entire night together," he instructed her just before she slipped out the back. There were apparently apparition charms in place on the whole establishment to prevent patrons from leaving without paying.

A small pop singled the arrival of a house elf. Draco turned to regard the creature and had to blink several times to make certain his eyes were not playing tricks on him. Standing before him was a house elf like none he had ever seen before as it was dress in black tails rather than rags.

"Good evening young master," Kreacher said in the way of greeting. "Master Harry Potter has sent Kreacher to collect yous."

"I see," Draco managed to say as he got over the initial shock of seeing the elf dressed in such a manner. "Where is Potter? I must speak with him." Without saying another word, Kreacher reached out and grasped Draco's wrist. With a small pop, the two appeared again in the foyer of Westfield Manor. "Where are we?" Draco asked, looking about at the unfamiliar surroundings.

"My home," Harry offered, having arrived in time to catch the last question. "Welcome to Westfield Manor. Please accept my hospitality and protection whilst you remain within these walls."

"I thank the House of Potter for its hearth, shelter, and protection whilst I remain here," Draco replied as was expected. It wouldn't do to ignore his manners even if he were in a hurry. "Is there some place more private we can go to talk?" Draco quickly questioned.

Harry held up a hand to silence the heir to the Malfoy name, for all that was worth these days. "It can wait till after we've eaten. I assure you that whatever pressing business has brought you to my home can wait at least until then." Harry, with a gesture in the direction of the dining room, added, "Shall we?"

"I'm not sure it can," Draco began with only to be cut off.

"Draco!" exclaimed a female voice. Owner of said voice then hastened over to quickly hug the confused wizard,

"Astoria?" Draco stammered, "What are you doing here?"

"Did I forget to mention that?" Harry cut in with a knowing smirk. "Must have slipped my mind," he added, the very image of innocence.

Astoria rolled her eyes at Harry's antics before replying, "Pay him no mind. I'm here visiting Daphne for a bit is all." Slipping her arm into Draco's she steered the wizard towards the dining area, leaving Harry to trail behind. "I didn't know you were coming for dinner." The young witch pointedly ignored Harry's chuckle behind her.

"I wasn't aware that you would be here," Draco explained. "I wasn't even aware that I would be here, truthfully. Still, I am rather pleased to get to see you. I trust you are well?"

"Couldn't be better," Astoria replied, pulling the young wizard closer to her side as they entered the dining area. The two exchanged small talk while waiting for the others to arrive.

Winky appeared and quickly made her way over to Harry. "Master Harry, Missus Hermione left word that she would not be home for dinner and may not be back until tomorrow."

"Thank you for letting me know, Winky," Harry said. The young wizard made a mental note to talk to Hermione upon her return. He was more than a little worried about her as she seemed not her usual self of late. _There is also the matter of how she feels for me we need to discuss as well_ , he reminded himself. As much as he loved Hermione, and she apparently loved him, Harry hadn't a clue what either of them could do about it currently.

Making his way to his seat, Harry turned and addressed Draco. "As you're my guest why don't you sit here," he said, gesturing towards the seat to his left where Hermione usually sat. "I'm sure Astoria wouldn't mind sitting next to you," Harry added with a small smile towards the witch in question. Though the table was longer and there were additional chairs on each side, Harry thought it might be best to put as much distance between Draco and Luna.

"I see we have company," Daphne's dispassionate voice stated from the end of the room where she and Tracey stood. "I wasn't aware that we'd be entertaining this evening, Harry." The blonde's eyes darted towards Harry who gave a little shrug. "I see," Daphne said before making her way towards the seat to the right of Harry. Harry was quick to pull her chair out for her befpore leaning down and giving her a peck on the cheek.

"Greengrass, Davis, always a pleasure," Draco offered in the way of greeting before seating himself next to Astoria.

For her part Tracey remained silent, not trusting herself. Knowing full well that if she opened her mouth something snarky would come out of it. Tracey had a long history of such behavior, having even done so to Harry at first, but it was an issue she was working at. It wasn't that Draco had ever really done anything to her directly, being a half-blood she was barely worth the young Malfoy's notice. Instead, the witch offered Harry a warm smile as he held her chair and gave her a peck on the cheek.

"Nephew, how good of you to join us," Andi said as she and Mary arrived. If Andy was surprised by Draco's presence, she did not show it. Years of upbringing as a daughter of the Black's clearing working in her favor. As he was up, Harry moved and held Andi's chair for her, repeating what he had done for Daphne and Tracey. Mary quickly seated herself, fearful the young wizard would try the same with her.

Draco hastily stood and gave a small bow towards Andi. "Aunty, you're looking exceptionally well," the proper young man replied.

"Must be the company I'm keeping," Andi replied, her eyes looking at Harry for a long moment before moving on to the others in the room. "This is Mary Macdonald, a professor and old friend of the Potter family," Andi said, introducing Marry.

"A pleasure Ma`am," Draco said with a slight tilting of his head at the seated witch.

"Oh goody! Everyone is here!" Luna exclaimed as she entered with Teddy on one hip and holding Anna's hand. The small girl hid behind Luna, unused to strangers and still a bit shy and frightened by them. Passing Teddy to Andi, who placed the squirming child in his high chair, Luna took the seat next to Andi with Anna sitting beside her and next to Astoria. "I'm rather famished!" Harry gave all three a kiss, helping the girls to their seat before returning to his own.

Draco, astounded at the number of women in Harry's house, couldn't help but turn and look at the wizard. "How do you do it? I can barely manage with one!" His words earning him a reproachful smack on the arm from the witch beside him. Harry was spared from answering as just then the food appeared, and everyone discovered that, like Luna, they were also apparently terribly hungry.

The meal passed in idle chatter, that doesn't do much more than filling the space between one minute and the next. While everyone wass a bit surprised to see Draco Malfoy seated at Harry's table, given their long-running aversion to each other in school, they trusted that Harry had his reasons.

Harry finished his meal and whipped his mouth before tossing the linen onto his plate. The plate quickly vanished and was replaced with a cup of tea. The last living Potter took a slow sip, gathering his thoughts before asking the question he was certain Draco was waiting for. "So, what was so urgent that you had to see me as soon as possible?"

Draco hastily swallowed the sip of tea he had just taken, his eyes darting about the table quickly before turning towards Harry. "It might be best if we spoke in private, Potter."

"I trust everyone in this room," Harry assured him. "Save perhaps yourself, Malfoy," he added with a small smirk.

Draco opened his mouth to reply only to be stopped by the witch beside him. "Just tell him, Draco," Astoria urged. Though she did not know what had brought Draco there this evening, she knew that Harry did indeed trust everyone at the table. "If Harry says it is all right then you can believe him."

Glancing first towards Astoria, Draco noticed all eyes were now on him. Even the toddler seemed to suspect something was up and was eyeing the strange man, though the metamorphmagus made no attempt at all to look like Draco. The Malfoy heir turned back towards Harry and gave him a look as if to say _It's your funeral_ , to which he merely received a slight shrug in reply.

"Father has been meeting with his contacts in the Wizengamot all week," Draco opened with. Seeing the blank look on Harry's face, he explained. "Father only does that when he is planning something, and he wants to make certain that when the time comes, the votes fall in his favor. He's also been meeting with your father," Draco added, looking towards Daphne.

"Each of those by themselves is not overly surprising," Daphne stated, knowing that the two of them had business dealings. "But the two together could mean that Father is up to something," she acknowledged.

"I'm certain that whatever that is, my Father is involved as well," Draco added.

"Why so?" Harry inquired curiously.

"Father knows that you are married twice over," Draco stated bluntly. He had been expecting the witches to explode in outrage, but he was severely disappointed as other than concerned frowns there was little reaction at all. "Wait, you knew this already?" he asked, looking about the table in disbelief.

"Not about your father and Daphne's working together," Harry replied, "but yes, they are all aware of my marital status. How did you learn of it?"

"Father left the parchment with the news on his desk and I happen to see it there," Draco replied.

"The real question is, what are they planning," Tracey quipped, dropping the room into silence as they all pondered that question.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Worse case of writer's block ever! Still not past it fully but finally managed to get the latter half of this chapter done so I could post it. I didn't intend for the chapter to be a recap of the story, it just worked out that way. On a good note, while I couldn't write I did manage to go back and edit the entire story correcting grammar, spelling, and punctuation. So at least future readers will have an easier time of it…hopefully.
> 
> I know some will think that Ginny was OOC. Please try and remember what the books\movies were like and not the harpie-ish character that fanon often paints her as. In her defense, she grew up a great deal thanks to the other Harpies.
> 
> As always, your reviews are not required, but they are greatly appreciated.
> 
> Kind Regards,
> 
> EJ Daniels
> 
> All characters within this story, unless otherwise stated are the sole property of J. K. Rowling the original writer of the Harry Potter series.


	31. Family

It had been a long day for the young witch. However, Hermione's hard work had finally paid off. An extensive search of the library at Westfield Manor hadn't provided Hermione with the answer, but it had set her upon the correct path. A path that led her to the Ministry of Magic. If one needed to read up on magical laws, then there was no better place than the library within the Ministry of Magic she had reasoned. While Westfield had an impressive library, it wasn't geared towards wizarding law and hence was missing a large number of books. It was an oversight that the young witch vowed would be corrected.

The day had been spent reading through one dusty tome after another, only to be a bit short of the answer she sought. Still, having learned that some of the old ways had not been prohibited or outright outlawed was certainly a step in the right direction she figured. Hermione had more or less already been aware of this fact, given that Gerald Greengrass had used a rather old and obscure means of joining Harry and Daphne in marriage. Though the intelligent young woman had a possible answer to Harry's current predicament, it wasn't one she actually was in favor of.

"There has to be a better way," Hermione mumbled to herself as her brain scrambled to find some other solution. Preferably one that wouldn't cost her the man she was hopelessly in love with. "We've been going at this for weeks, and this is the first glimmer that has offered any hope of keeping Harry out of Azkaban." _It's just not fair_ , she thought, _neither to Harry our me_. _Why must these things always happen to him?_

The tired witch sighed heavily, before using a hand to massage the bridge of her nose and rub her eyes. All the reading had her eyes feeling rather dry and irritated. _How can one wizard get himself into so much trouble_ , she pondered not for the first time in her lengthy association with the man in question. In all the time that she had known Harry, it seemed like they had jumped from one crisis to another. _He never hesitates to throw himself in front of whatever danger there is, especially if it will spare someone having to do so_. _Granted, this time the only danger is Harry being married, more than once and sadly not to me._

_First year there was the troll_ , Hermione recalled, a small smile gracing her face. To a young girl of twelve, who had never known what having a friend was like, having someone risk their own life for yours was nothing short of heroic. The fact that their friendship had started in a girl's loo was something they had joked about over the years. In the end, she had been forced to let Harry go on without her to face Voldemort alone that year. It was a fact which to this day she still regretted and felt terrible about.

_Second year wasn't much better_ , Hermione mused, recalling the whole Polyjuice incident. _Harry didn't even question my brewing ability. He just took the potion and drank it down_ , she remembered. _Ron had a good laugh upon seeing me with whiskers_. _It was a simple mistake after all!_ _How was I to know they were cat hairs?_ Harry had been rather worried if she was alright or not. Upon the boy's return from the Slytherin common room, Harry had retrieved his invisibility cloak and given it to Hermione so she could make it to the hospital wing without everyone gawking at her as she walked past.

"I didn't realize I would be spending so much time in the hospital wing that year," Hermione spoke aloud softly to herself. _Months wasted petrified while Harry once again had to face Voldemort alone._ It wasn't until that summer at the Burrow that she had discovered that Harry had gone to the infirmary and visited her every day. Ron had mentioned it in passing, remarking how mental Harry was at times. To this day she had never told Harry that she knew. _If he wants me to know he'll tell me_ , she figured.

The young witch, knowing Harry as well as she did, knew that he would never tell her. It was one of the many reasons that she loved him. _He's so unassuming at times. Harry probably just saw it as something that needed to be done and did it. Much as he did when he saved Ginny. Something only he could do. Why must it always be him?_ She asked herself once again _._

Third year hadn't seen much of a change of their yearly routine. The trio always managed to be involved in whatever trouble was taking place. _Dementors_ , Hermione recalled with a shiver at the memory of the foul creatures and the effect they had on Harry. "If I never see one of those again it will be too soon," she stated. The Ministry had removed all Dementors from the Ministry after the war, confining them to the island of Azkaban.

Third year had also brought to light the fact that the then young girl of thirteen hadn't known how to deal with at the time. It was a seemingly innocent event that she had pushed to the back of her mind due to the pressing need to rescue Sirius. While seated behind Harry on the back of Buckbeak, holding on for dear life, she had an almost overwhelming urge to kiss the nape of his neck.

All summer Hermione had wrestled with that thought and what it had meant. _It certainly wasn't something that just a friend would want to do_ , she had reasoned. In the end, the young witch had come to the realization that she was falling in love with her best friend, Harry Potter. By summer's end, Hermione had convinced herself that Ron would be the better, safer, choice as a boyfriend. _If Harry were to die I'm not certain I could handle that were I to completely fall in love with him_ , she had told herself.

The young woman's thoughts were interrupted by a soft clearing of a throat. "Pardon the intrusion Missus Granger," stated a young Ministry employee who was probably a few years older than Hermione.

_What is her name again? Mary? Margrett? Maggie?_ "That's alright Maggie," Hermione replied with a warm smile, attempting to ignore the hero worship which clearly shined in the woman's eyes. "What can I do for you?"

"I was just wondering if you would be much longer?" Maggie asked hesitantly. "The library closed a while ago. Not that I mind waiting till you're done, mind you," the nervous woman added quickly. The last thing she wanted to do was offend one of the Heroes of the Wizarding World. The Minister himself had sent a memo upon learning that one of the Golden Trio was at the Ministry. The instructions had stated in no uncertain terms that Hermione Granger was to receive any and all assistance she might require.

Hermione silently cringed, not having realized just how much time had passed apparently. "Sorry to trouble you. You should have said something sooner. Just let me put these books away, and I'll be on my way."

"You needn't bother, Missus Granger. I'll take care of them," Maggie was quick to offer. "It is my job to see that they are returned to their proper places on the shelves after all."

Thinking it would be rather silly to argue over who would put the books back, Hermione thanked the woman before making her way from the library and to the public floo fireplaces. A few moments later saw the young witch step from a fireplace and into the Three Broomsticks. Thankful for the hood on her cloak, which helped to hide her identity from the few patrons in the establishment, Hermione quickly slipped out into the cold January night. A warming charm and a brisk walk soon saw her approaching the main doors of Hogwarts.

"A bit late for a social call, Miss Granger," spoke a well know voice with a Scottish accent to it. "Or do you miss being Head Girl so much you just couldn't stay away?" McGonagall asked with a hint of humor in her voice.

"Can't I come and visit my favorite professor?" Hermione asked with a grin.

"Oh, most certainly," McGonagall replied, "Shall I see if Professor Binns is up for company?" The elderly witch couldn't help but crack a smile at the look on Hermione's face. "You'll gather flies that way," Minerva teased. "Come in out of the cold," she added while waving the stunned witch into the castle. "I find these days that I am less inclined to stand around shivering than I used to be."

"Sorry Headmistress," Hermione offered out of habit. _She has a sense of humor_ , Hermione thought, still a bit in shock that the usually stern woman had cracked a joke. None the less she did as asked and moved into the castle. _I'd tell Ron and Harry about McGonagall pulling my leg, but I don't think they'd believe me. I'm not sure I believe it!_

"As much as I am pleased to see you, I can't help but wonder what has brought you here," McGonagall stated. "I was a bit surprised when the wards notified me that I had a visitor and just who it was."

"I am sorry for the late call," Hermione said as they walked down the hall. "I'm researching something for Harry, and I was hoping I could have access to the library, Headmistress."

"Of course," Minerva quickly replied. "If there is anything Hogwarts can do to help we are happy to do so. We owe that man a great debt." It didn't take a Ravenclaw to figure out that if Hermione Granger were asking to use the library to research something for Harry Potter, then it would have to do with the wizard's current marital problems. "Have you found something?"

"I believe so," Hermione answered slowly. "I still have a few facts to verify which is why I need access to the library."

Minerva looked sideways, taking a good look at the young witch beside her. _She looks about done in_ , she surmised. There were dark circles around Hermione's eyes, and her hair was rather flat and a bit unkept. _She's driving herself too hard_ , Minerva tsked silently to herself. "It is nearly curfew time. Wouldn't it be better if you came back in the morning? A good night's sleep might do you good."

Hermione smiled slightly. "I doubt I will be able to sleep till I have this sorted, Headmistress. I'm so close that I can't give up now," the younger witch replied. "Harry needs me, and I can't let him down. I feel we're quickly running out of time. Time is something that never seems to be on Harry's side."

"Perhaps I should assist you?" Minerva offered.

The offer of her mentor to assist her, Hermione Granger, was very tempting. There had been plenty of times where Hermione had dreamed of helping the older witch. Never once had she dared to dream than Minerva McGonagall would offer to help her though. "There's no need for the both of us to go without sleep tonight, Headmistress. You have a school to run, and I have a best friend to save," Hermione finally replied.

_Just a best friend, huh?_ Minerva mused to herself. "As you wish then. Should you grow tired one of the elves can show you to guest quarters where you may rest," the Headmistress informed Hermione. "I'll check on you in the morning." After being thanked profusely, the Headmistress watched the young witch hasten away in the direction of the Grande Stairway and the library. "Hopefully it will all work out," she said before turning to make her way to her waiting bed.

**-oOo-**

The hour was late, with the evening meal having concluded some time ago. Harry sat within the library, a book open in his lap as he sipped a snifter of firewhiskey. The evening had been rather interesting, to say the least. The young wizard couldn't help but smile as he recalled how Tracey had called Draco a daft git. Informing her former housemate that of course they already knew that the elder Greengrass was after Harry when the Malfoy heir pointed that fact out to them rather vocally.

_I don't know which was funnier, Tracey calling him out or watching Draco look between Astoria and Tracey, trying to decide just how to reply to the verbal abuse._ Draco didn't want to appear disrespectful in front of the woman he loved and yet he was not used to having to hold his tongue either. _Having been on the receiving end of Davies's sharp words before I almost felt sorry for him._ In the end, Astoria had come to Draco's rescue. The wizard's musings were interrupted by the library door opening and Daphne slipping in.

"I thought I might find you here," Daphne said with a warm smile. "Can't sleep?" she asked as she closed the door behind her and made her way over toward Harry.

"No more than usual," Harry replied evasively, setting the book aside as he wasn't having much luck reading it anyways. "How about you?" he asked as he stood and gave the witch an affectionate hug.

"No," Daphne admitted honestly. "Draco's news has me worried," she clarified. "I keep imagining the worst and feel as if it will actually be much more terrible than that."

"Want to talk about it?" Harry offered, moving the book from the couch to the end table next to it and setting the snifter of whiskey beside it. Harry had once made the mistake of placing a glass on top of a book. The subsequent tongue-lashing he'd received from Hermione was not of the snogging kind. Needless to say, he never made that mistake again.

"I don't want to bother you," Daphne replied, her expression saying exactly the opposite of her words. The young woman found the uncertainty of the future to be more than a bit unsettling. She had tried to tell herself that it would all work out. Harry had unbelievable luck getting himself out of tight spots in the past after all. Still, the young woman's uncertainties were getting the better of her which led to her searching out the man before her.

It was apparent to the young wizard that Daphne was upset. Harry gestured toward the couch and waited till they were both seated before taking her hand in his. "What has you worried?"

"Everything!" Daphne replied, a bit of emotion entering her voice. "I'm scared of what father will do. I can't go back to him. There is no telling what he will do or whom he will marry me off too. Perhaps more frightening is the fact that I could actually lose you, Harry," the distraught witch stated. "I only just found you! That's not even taking into consideration the fact that I must give birth to an heir within one year or lose my magic, either!"

"Yes, well," Harry stammered, his cheeking reddening a bit at Daphne's last words. "If it comes to it we can take care of that…issue. Not that I want to, mind you, but better that than you losing your magic," Harry said only to see the witch's look darken upon hearing his words. "Not that I don't want to," Harry hastily backpedaled. "I just would rather we take our time and do…that…when we're both ready for it."

Seeing Daphne's expression soften, the Harry breathed a silent sigh of relief. "Other than that, nothing else has really changed, Daphne," Harry tried to reassure her. "We figured your father would try something eventually. This is just a bit earlier than we expected."

"A bit earlier?" Daphne parroted back in disbelief. "The Wizengamot meets on Monday. You can bet that my father will be there to put forth whatever plan he has. Malfoy will be there to ensure that he has the votes too!"

"Wow, Monday huh?" Harry asked, having had no clue when the Wizengamot met. "That still gives us a little over a day to figure out what to do," he pointed out. _I had less than that when I defeated Riddle, and that turned out alright_. _Sort of_ , Harry added after thinking about it for a moment. _Maybe not so alright_ , he finally admitted to himself, thinking of all those lost.

"A day? A day to discover a solution to what we haven't been able to figure out for weeks, Harry!" Daphne pointed out. "If the brightest witch of our age and the rest of us haven't figured it out by now I seriously doubt we will within the next day! Do you think we can just waltz into the Wizengamot and wing it? We need to have a plan, Harry!"

Harry sighed, giving her hand in his a reassuring squeeze. "One thing fighting Voldemort showed me was that plans tend to fall apart and all you can do when that happens is improvise. It's worked pretty well for me so far," he felt compelled to point out, feeling that the fact he had survived was a point in his favor. Even with Hermione's help, there hadn't been lots of planning involved in Riddle's defeat. _When you come right down to it the entire final battle had been winging it_ , he recalled.

"This isn't some deranged lunatic who is hell-bent on killing you, Harry" Daphne fired back only to see the wizard arch a questioning brow. "Okay, maybe it is," she conceded reluctantly. "What I mean is that father is the epitome of what it means to be a Slytherin. He'll have plans within plans within plans. Unlike Voldemort, you can't just kill him and be done with it."

Harry decided not to argue that point, fairly confident that he could if he had to. "Daphne, I know just how serious this is. I'm the one facing Azkaban after all. If I were to never see another Dementor again, it would be too soon," he offered with a small, lopsided grin. "Look, the last thing I want is to make you or the others worry but what choice do we have?" Harry asked. "If the smartest group of witches I know can't come up with a solution then marching into the Wizengamot and flying by the seat of my pants is the only option I have."

"I just found you as well, and I do not want to lose you, or Luna or Anna or any of the others for that matter," Harry continued with, trying once again to reassure the witch before him. "You've all come to mean so much to me. The thought of not having you in my life is painful, Daphne," Harry said, causing the color to rise in Daphne's cheeks. "You are all family, which is something I have always longed for and have had very little of. I certainly don't want to lose it."

"This is all my fault!" snapped the witch, pulling her hand from his and rising only to begin pacing back and forth. "If I hadn't placed myself there that day, none of this would have happened! I should have just accepted my fate and gone along with the marriage that father had arranged. At least that way you wouldn't have become involved and possibly facing Azkaban."

"Let's not start to play the blame game as I'm fairly sure my, ' _I asked Luna to marry me_ ' trumps your ' _I was stalking Harry Potter_ ' card," the young wizard offered with a small grin as he intercepted the pacing witch and drew her into his arms. "Besides, I'm rather glad that we fell in love."

"I wasn't stalking you," Daphne replied defensively, offering a playful slap to the wizard's arm as it slipped around her. Truth be told she loved the feel of Harry's arms around her. She never felt as safe as when he held her close. Daphne was also pleased that they had fallen in love. _I doubt I would have found anyone else who would love me and would be willing to allow me to be with Tracey_. _I really am a lucky witch_ , she reminded herself. Of course, that also drove home the point that she could possibly be losing the man holding her as well.

"Oh?" Harry asked with feigned surprise. "I can't see how else you would have known to be right there at that exact time, Missus Black."

"Fate, Mister Black," Daphne replied with a smile as she slipped her arms around his neck. "Maybe we were meant to be together," she teased.

"Well, who am I to argue with Fate," Harry replied playing along. "Remind me to thank her when next I see her," he stated. "Does this _Fate_ have a name?"

"Actually, I had a house elf follow you," she confessed, pushing herself up against the wizard to get as close as she could to him. "So certain this is a good thing are we, Harry?" Daphne enquired playfully, the heat of Harry's body seeping into her and do strange but wonderful things to her insides.

"There haven't been many good things in my life, Daphne," Harry replied, an edge of seriousness entering his tone, "but marrying you is certainly one of them. No matter how unexpectedly it was."

"And Luna?" Daphne asked with a skeptical arch of a brow.

"Definitely," Harry replied without a hint of hesitation. "As strange as it sounds, it would be a bit difficult trying to imagine my life without all of you in it. I know you and Tracey have only been here a few months, but I already consider you both family," Harry stated, causing the witch to smile happily. "Should the worst happen, I hope that you all will be here waiting for me in ten years."

"Stop talking like that," Daphne admonished Harry, the smile dropping from her features upon hearing his words. "I'll have none of that talk from my husband! We're going to beat this, Harry. I'm confident that we'll come up with a solution. I'm honestly surprised that Granger hasn't already."

Harry hid his smile, though just barely. _Mission accomplished_ , he thought, _if she is trying to now convince me that we'll get through this my work here is done_. One of the things he liked about Daphne was that though she could spin herself up, it usually only took some words of encouragement from Tracey or himself to calm her down. _Now if we could just get her to freak out a bit less often. All good things in time I guess_.

"Me too," Harry admitted with the thoughtful frown. _I haven't been able to spend any time with Hermione since she moved in_ , Harry realized, feeling terrible about that fact. _Everything has just been so incredibly hectic that I haven't even been able to really check on her either._ "Perhaps I've come to rely on her too much? Merlin knows that she saved my arse more time than I can count," Harry admitted.

"Probably," Daphne said. "Where is she anyway?"

Harry gave a small shrug. "I don't know. She left word that she wouldn't be home tonight. I'm sure she'll be alright. Hermione can take care of herself. I honestly pity anyone who tries to mess with her. She knows far more spells than anyone ought to.""

"Just as well," Daphne stated only to see a questioning look from Harry. "Can't have you thinking about some other witch while you have me in your arms," Daphne clarified as she leaned in.

"Heaven forbid," Harry replied as he leaned in, meeting her halfway, and captured Daphne's lips in a soft kiss.

"As nice as this is, Harry," Daphne said after a few minutes in which her toes curled more than once, "we really need to talk about Monday."

"I have my beautiful wife in my arms, and you want to to have a chin wag?" Harry asked with a small disbelieving chuckle. "And here I was quite happy with what we were doing."

"Yes, well," Daphne stammered, a bit flustered, having rather enjoyed what they had been up to as well. "If you want to be able to continue what we were doing for years to come then we need to figure out what we're going to do on Monday, Harry."

"Fine," Harry replied after a moment. "What do you think your father and Malfoy have cooked up?" the young wizard asked as he escorted Daphne back to the couch and sat with her.

Daphne sat, making certain to be as close to Harry as possible, drawing comfort from his presence beside her. "Father would, of course, want to be Head of the Greengrass house again," Daphne opened with, figuring it was the most logical place to begin.

"That would get him back all the businesses and their assets," Harry stated, agreeing with her.

"It would also see him responsible for me again," Daphne added with a thoughtful frown.

"Which would get him access to the Black wealth," Harry said, "which has been his goal all along."

"The question is what does Malfoy senior get out of this?" Daphne pondered aloud.

Harry thought for a long moment before replying. "If our marriage is dissolved then the next to inherit the Black family would be Draco."

"Really?" Daphne asked in a surprised tone.

"According to Sirius," Harry confirmed. "He told me that part of the reason for naming me his heir was so that the Malfoys couldn't get the Black wealth and use it to support Voldemort."

"Wait, that doesn't make any sense," Daphne said after a long moment. "If father pushed to dissolve our marriage then he would lose access to the Black gold through me. All he would actually be gaining is what I took away from him."

"And you," Harry pointed out, confused about the motives of the elder Greengrass as well. "That's worth more than everything else."

"That's sweet, Harry," Daphne said reaching out and grasping his hand with hers even as she felt her cheeks heat into a blush. "There must be some deal between Malfoy and my father that gets him access to the Black gold."

"Unless…," Harry started to say only to trail off as a thought struck him.

Daphne waited for a few moments but upon realizing that the wizard wasn't going to continue, spoke up. "What? Unless what?" Daphne asked. "You're as bad as Tracey!"

Harry chuckled, "Sorry," he offered a bit sheepishly. "So, let's walk through this logically."

"Yes, let's," said a voice above them. The two stood, looking up rather embarrassed and shocked only to see Luna looking down at them from the second floor of the library with a Cheshire grin spread across her face.

"H…how long have you been up there?" Daphne stammered.

"Since before Harry arrived," Luna replied as she made her way along the railing and started down the stairs. "He didn't look like he wished for any company, so I let him be then I got rather lost in a book till I heard voices down here," the petite blonde stated. "I must say it was rather _arousing_ watching the two of you snog," Luna added with a rather dreamy smile as she joined them. "A bit naughty, but definitely exciting!"

"You should have told us you were there," Harry replied, his cheeks suddenly feeling as if he could cook an egg on them. _Who knew Luna would be a bit of closet voyeur?_ The fact that he found that to be a little arousing himself only served to embarrass Harry further.

"I was going to, but then you both were rather busy, and it just didn't seem right to interrupt you. Especially with how much Daphne appeared to be relishing your lip tango," Luna said, rather enjoying the embarrassed looks on both their faces. "Perhaps you'll dance with me later too, Harry?" The young witch was fairly sure that Harry at least, judging by how he was avoiding looking at her, found the fact that she had been watching the two of them at least a little stimulating. _There may be hope for him yet_ , Luna mused hopefully.

"Yes, well, as you were saying," Daphne cut in with a look toward Harry. The young woman wanted nothing more than to get the subject off of her and Harry snogging while Luna watched. _Morgana, please don't let Tracey hear about this or I'll never live it down_ , Daphne thought only to realize that Tracey may very well want to invite the witch to join them.

"Yes. Right," Harry stammered before indicating that they should all be seated. He wasn't actually surprised when Daphne chose to sit further away from him than she had been previously. Nor was he surprised that Daphne's face was a bright red all over. Luna took a chair in front of them, curling her feet up under her in what could only be described as a very feline move. Apparently unbothered with seeing her husband kissing another witch.

"So, if we look at this in a logic sense," Harry began, "your father's first move has to be to tell the Wizengamot that I'm married to the both of you."

"That will get you tossed into Azkaban for ten years," Daphne said, her tone clearly indicating just what she thought of that outcome.

Harry gave a slow nod of agreement. "But what then?"

"Father becomes head of the Greengrass family once again and robs the Black vaults," Daphne answered.

"No," Luna cut in with a thoughtful expression. "According to what Harry told me, your father abdicated his position which means it will not default back to him."

Daphne's eyes widened slightly, not having thought of that herself. "He'll need the Wizengamot to appoint him then," she offered.

"Which is where he will need Malfoy to swing the votes in his favor," Harry said. "Assuming that happens he'll be the head of the Greengrass family once again."

"At which point he can call a grievance and demand restitution," Daphne provided. "That will end our marriage as well as get him the Black gold." The thought of their marriage being dissolved was nearly enough to cause the young witch to breakdown on the spot. Daphne looked up and gave Harry a grateful smile as she felt him take her hand in his.

"But why would he?" Luna asked, apparently confused by Daphne's words. "I mean he will get some gold that way for certain. I just can't believe he would be able to claim the entire Black wealth as his restitution for besmirching the Greengrass name. If that were the case, then there would be nothing to stop others from claiming the same and going after the wealthiest of families. So why would he?"

"Exactly!" Harry exclaimed. _Damn smart witches are sexy_ , he thought as he shot an appreciative smile towards Luna, causing the young girl's cheeks to blush slightly. "Why would he do that?" Harry asked, turning to regard Daphne who hadn't caught on just yet.

"So that Draco can become the head of the Black family," Daphne replied, trying to figure out what she was missing. "I'm sure father has an agreement to that effect."

"So?" Harry asked.

"So, he…," Daphne started only for her words to trail off as she finally cottoned on to what they were talking about. "Why would my father give up the Black family at all?"

"He would have the Greengrass family and the Black family wealth through you," Harry confirmed. "I can't see him giving any of that up at all if he is the man you've told me he is, Daphne."

"He'd essentially have everything," Luna injected. "With the votes already cast he'd have no need for Draco's father."

"It certainly would be like my father to double-cross Malfoy like that. Particularly since there is little Malfoy could do about it without ratting out himself for fixing the vote in father's favor. That alone could see him in Azkaban, heavily fined or both," Daphne offered.

"Father is just using Malfoy to get what he wants," Daphne continued, fitting all the pieces of the puzzle together. "Once he has the Greengrass wealth back and then adds the Black gold to it he will be both wealthy and powerful enough that he won't have to worry about Malfoy senior trying anything. Of course, it doesn't hurt that the Malfoy name isn't what it used to be due to their backing of Voldemort during the war."

"So, what do we do?" Luna inquired. "Tell Draco's father?"

"Given our history, I seriously doubt he'd believe us," Harry replied with a knowing smirk. "He'd just think we were trying to throw a spanner in their plans. No," Harry stated in a thoughtful tone, "We have to prepare for the worst and hope for the best. When I go to Azkaban, I have to make certain all of you are taken care of."

"No!" Luna and Daphne both exclaimed at the same time. Neither witch was ready to even consider that outcome. Though they hadn't much success to date, they both held out hope that there would be some way they could spare Harry that fate. Even Daphne, who not all that long ago felt it was hopeless, once again had faith that it would all work out in the end…somehow.

"Look, I don't like it any more than either of you do," Harry replied, "but we need to be ready for the worst. That means me in Azkaban for ten years and all of you out here. Sirius managed for ten years," Harry offered in the hopes of reassuring them. "If he can do it I'm sure I can. He didn't have two beautiful wives waiting on him either."

Both witches nodded slightly, neither wanting to even think about Harry being in that hell hole for ten years but realizing that he was right and they had to plan for the worst possible case and just hope it never happened. "So, how do we neutralize your father?" Harry asked once he was certain they both understood.

"Well," Daphne started with hesitantly after several long moments of silence. "There is something you can do," she offered. The young woman looked at Harry with a pensive expression. "Harry, you need to disown me."

**-oOo-**

Draco, after a rather long and delightful kiss goodbye from Astoria, apparated to Malfoy manner. Rather than returning to his room at the brothel, Harry had offered to let him spend the night at Westfield, only after extracting an oath that he would behave himself under Harry's roof. Astoria was still underage after all. Breakfast with the woman he loved was a wonderful way to start the day he decided, and it put an extra bounce in the young wizard's step as he entered his home.

"Good morning mother," Draco exclaimed with a wide grin as he approached his parents who were seated at the dining room table enjoying a late breakfast. Leaning down Draco gave his mother a kiss on the cheek. "You look as beautiful as ever!"

"You're in an exceedingly good mood," Narcissa stated with a humorous smile, glad to see her only child in such high spirits. She had been rather concerned with how Draco would handle the engagement being canceled, but it now seemed that her concerns had been for naught.

"It was an exceptional night," Draco answered as he filched a piece of bacon from his mother's plate and quickly popped it into his mouth. Spending the evening talking with Astoria and being able to take her for a walk through the garden had been far more than he had expected of the evening.

"I take it that you enjoyed yourself then," Lucius asked before taking a sip of tea. Upon seeing his son nod, he smiled slightly. "Which establishment will I be expecting a massive bill from then?" Though he wouldn't admit it where Narcissa could hear, the elder Malfoy had been known to frequent such establishments every now and then.

"The Reclining Wench," Draco answered even as he reached for another piece of bacon, only to have his hand playfully slapped away by his mother. Draco offered his mother a sad puppy dog look and was rewarded with another piece of bacon for his efforts.

"Get your own plate and serve yourself if you are hungry," Narcissa advised with a warm smile towards Draco. "It is bad manners to pick food off another's plate like some muggle. I'll have no further talk of such establishments at my breakfast table," she added with a pointed look towards her husband. "We are Malfoys and will show a little decorum as such."

"Yes, Mother," Draco was quick to answer.

"Is that the only place you went?" Lucius inquired, ignoring Narcissa's request.

"Yes, Father," Draco answered as he made his way to the sideboard and served himself some eggs and bacon before returning to the table and taking a seat across from Narcissa.

Lucius wiped his mouth with the linen before tossing it upon his plate, which promptly vanished. "I had high hopes for you, Draco," the head of the Malfoy family said with a heavy sigh of disappointment. "All through school I tried to counsel you to do your best and be better than those around you. Instead, you were petty and childish at best. Where a true Slytherin would have made his enemies his friends, you ridiculed them and treated them like little more than the mud upon your shoe."

"Lucius," Narcissa tried to cut in only to be cut across herself as if unheard.

"You alienated yourself from the other houses instead of cultivating alliance within them. Sure, they are beneath you, but that doesn't mean you can't use them to your own ends. It is always more beneficial to have people like you than despise you, regardless of what you may think of them. The very values that are Slytherin are what it is to be a Malfoy. Apparently, you possess none of these!"

"Lucius," Narcissa tried once again only to be overridden once more.

"No! I am tired of you trying to protect the boy," Lucius snapped at the witch beside him. "He's been nothing but a disappointment to me his entire life. Our Master honored him with the task of removing Dumbledor, and he couldn't even do that correctly! I guess I shouldn't have been surprised as he couldn't even beat a half-blood and his mudblood witch," Lucius sneered.

"Father," a very confused Draco started with, "I'm not sure what this is all about, but there must be some mistake. I have always tried to follow your advice." The wizard was more than a little confused as to what exactly had his father so angry.

Lucius looked at Draco with disdain. "Mistake? Yes, there was certainly a mistake made, though it was mine to think that you could ever live up to the name of Malfoy. You've been nothing but one major disappointment after another."

"I don't understand," Draco managed to get out, his confusion clearly etched on his face.

"No, you don't and you never will Draco!" Lucius snapped angrily. "I explicitly forbade you from having anything to do with Potter or that Greengrass girl, did I not? Yet the first chance you get your off to have dinner with the both of them!"

"Father, I ne-" Draco started to say.

"Don't deny it!" Lucius thundered as his fist slammed upon the table top causing cutlery to jump and jingle about. "For once in your sad, miserable life be a man and take responsibility for your actions!"

"Fine!," Draco snapped back, stung far further by his father's words than he would like to admit. "Yes, I went to Potter's place. I wanted to see Astoria because I love her!" Draco confessed heatedly.

"I don't give a rat's ass what you want to do or what slag you want to shag! When I give you an order, I expect you to follow it without question!" Lucius shouted back. "That's what it means to be a part of this family. You don't get a say in what you do or what you wish till I'm dead and gone and the house is yours. The Malfoys are where they are because of my hard work, and I will not sit by and watch some byblow of mine ruin all that I have worked so hard for."

"Astoria is not a slag!" Draco growled, rising to his feet, his own anger flaring to match his father's. "She is kind and caring and everything you're not! As for beating a half-blood, I may not have bested Potter, but at least I wasn't licking his boots!"

"How dare you!" Lucius yelled, launching himself to his feet. "You know nothing of what you speak!"

"I know Voldemort was a half-blood and yet you called him Master and knelt before him!" Draco fired back with a contemptuous sneer of his own.

"He may have been less than a pure-blood, but he was a powerful wizard that even Dumbledore couldn't defeat on his own," Lucius spat back. "A man like that with that much ability you either serve or you fight and to fight him was to surely die! I did what I had to do to make certain we survived and that you had a life!"

"You can tell yourself whatever it is you want that helps you sleep at night father, but we both know you merely didn't have the backbone to stand up to him. That half-blood you claim I couldn't best, stood up to your master and beat him too! It was far easier to just go along with the pure-blood dogma than think for yourself, wasn't it, father?" Draco asked, spitting out the name as if it left a foul taste in his mouth. "Was any of it true? Do you still believe that rubbish?" Draco asked only to see the answer in his father's eyes.

"To think that I bought into it as well," Draco drawled. "You were willing to have me follow in your footsteps. I'm glad it's over. I'm glad Potter won and killed that psychopath!" Draco declared in a heated voice. "The war showed me one thing when we're cut, we all bleed the same color blood. When we kill each other, it doesn't matter in the end because we're all the same, dead! When it came right down to it, your master didn't care who he killed! Just as many pure-bloods died in his bid for dominance."

"That's all it was, a madman's quest to make himself seem superior to others through the use of fear. If they won't follow you, kill them. If they're pure-blood name them blood traitors and then kill them. Inslave the masses, terrorize the innocent and weak. Bloody hell I can't believe I bought into it. I see now that fear was the only thing Voldemort really had going for him."

"That fear is precisely what allowed the Malfoys to become what they are today," Lucius pointed out, forcing his temper back under control.

"Growing up I was always so confident that I was better than others. I was so very proud to be a Malfoy and see others bend to what I wanted," Draco stated, his body relaxing as a small smile graced his features as he recalled those days. "I was a Malfoy, and there was nothing better in the world to be. Anything and everything was mine for the taking."

Draco paused to yank up his sleeve to reveal Voldemort's mark on his forearm and thrust it out towards his father who actually flinched away from it a bit. "I was so proud when I took the Mark, father. I was going to be just like you was my thought at the time. Now, I want to be nothing like you," Draco stated as he pulled down his sleeve. "You sold the Malfoy name and nearly all of us for the pipedream of a madman. I never thought the day would come when I would be ashamed to be a Malfoy, but I am."

"That name is what has given you everything, including the very clothes on your back," Lucius pointed out.

"I would rather it had gotten me nothing then. Better that than to be known as a Death Eater for the rest of my life," Draco replied.

"Fine. Then so be it," Lucius said, his temper flaring once more as he slipped his wand free of his pocket. "I Lucius Malfoy, Head of the Malfoy family do cast out Draco Malfoy, declaring him and all who descend from him banished forthwith from the family. Let his name be removed from all references, so it is as if he never existed. So let it be said, so let it be done!"

"What have you done?" Narcissa exclaimed in disbelief as she stared at her husband in horror.

"That which should have been done a long time ago," Lucius replied. Slipping a small bag from his pocket the head fo the Malfoy family tossed it onto the table before the stunned wizard who used to be his son. From the clanking noise, the pouch made upon landing it was apparent that it contained coins. "Let it not be said that I'm not a generous man. You have one hour to be off these premises. You may take whatever personal effects you wish to." Without further words, Lucius strode toward the door.

"You'll never beat him," Draco called to his father's back, causing the head of the Malfoy family to pause without turning about. "Voldemort couldn't defeat him, what makes you think that whatever you and Greengrass have cooked up will work?" Draco asked with a sneer that saw him channeling his inner Snape. "Potter knows, and you can bet he'll thwart the both of you! I just hope that I'll be there when he does so I can see the look on your face!" Draco watched his father leave the room without a word of reply.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author's Note:
> 
> Life is hectic and full of stress at the moment and has been pretty much all year. I don't know about others, but when I have stress, the Muse packs up and leaves. She claimed I was a bear to be around, and not just any bear but one coming out of hibernation. No clue what she's talking about!
> 
> As always, your reviews are not required, but they are greatly appreciated.
> 
> Kind Regards,
> 
> EJ Daniels
> 
> All characters within this story, unless otherwise stated are the sole property of J. K. Rowling the original writer of the Harry Potter series.


	32. Saving Others

When the knock came, it was not wholly unexpected. Harry gave a small knowing smile as he crossed the room and opened the door to his suite to reveal a very nervous and slightly embarrassed Daphne. The young witch was dressed in a somewhat simple white nightgown that reached nearly to the floor. The young woman had her hair pulled back and done up in a braid for sleeping. This only emphasized the determined set of her jaw.

"A bit lost? I'm certain your rooms are a floor below this," Harry teased gently with an amused lopsided grin. With the Wizengamot session on Monday Harry had figured that Daphne would visit either tonight or Sunday evening. Honestly, he had figured the latter of the two. _I thought it would take her another day to gather her courage. How very Gryffindor of her,_ he thought to himself with a mental chuckle.

"A bit," Daphne replied, a nervous tremor in her voice. "I've never done this before," Daphne stated as she stepped through the door and into Harry's room. The flustered woman looked about the room to avoid looking at the wizard with her. "No Luna?" she asked half in jest half in seriousness after what happened in the library earlier that evening.

"No. Luna is sleeping in her own room tonight," Harry assured Daphne as he closed the door and turned to face her. "As should you be," he added. It didn't take much to notice just how nervous Daphne was. Frankly, her nerves were starting to rub off on Harry, though he did his best to hide it from her.

"We both know why I can't-do that," Daphne replied, color creeping into her cheeks as she turned and faced Harry. The fact that Harry had as good as said that Luna slept in his bed did not sit overly well with Daphne. _I guess I never really thought about it_ , she mused. _She is his wife after all_.

"Daph, you don't have to do this," Harry attempted to reason with her. "Everything will be fine. There is no need for you to force yourself into this."

"How can you be so certain?" Daphne asked as she turned and started pacing, wringing her hands before her as she did so. "It's all well and good to say things will turn out alright but there is no way of knowing for sure!" The confidence she had displayed in the library earlier seemed to have fled her as once again her fears took over.

"Look, I know my life has had its share of terrible things but I'm still here and have managed to get through them relatively unscathed," Harry replied. _Granted there were a few close calls. Really close calls._

"Taking a killing curse or two is what you called ' _unscathed_ '?" Daphne countered with a snort of disbelief. _Honestly! There are limits to just how humble a person can be!_ "If half the stories that were circulating around Hogwarts were true you are lucky to even be alive!"

Harry waved Daphne's words aside with a gesture of one hand. "My point is that I have managed to get through all the bad things. Am I not standing here right now? Is that not proof of that?" Harry asked. "This is no different than all those other times. With a bit of luck, we'll get through this as well." _What happened to the 'We'll beat this' attitude she displayed down in the library_ , he wondered.

"And what if your luck runs out, Harry?" Daphne inquired, pausing in her pacing to look directly at the wizard. "What then? It's only a matter of time before something doesn't go your way! You may live a charmed life but what of the people around you? Can you say the same for them?" She knew it wasn't a fair question to ask but once again her emotions were in control rather than her brain.

The young wizard had to admit if even only to himself, that those around him had not fared well. Many such as Sirius, Moony, Tonks, and even Dumbledore had paid the ultimate price. _Those I love the most are the ones that are often hurt by my actions._ For a moment panic seized him as the thought of something happening to any of the women he loved popped into his head. It was only with great effort that he was able to school his features so that the fear he felt didn't show.

Harry could tell that Daphne was starting to get upset. "It won't. At least not this time," he hastily added upon seeing the look of disbelief on Daphne's face. "We'll get through this," Harry said with far more confidence in his voice than he was currently feeling at that moment. For the most part, he had lived a somewhat charmed life. _There were so many times where I should have died, but I didn't_.

"Can you honestly promise me that you know for a fact that everything will go well on Monday, Harry?" the worried witch asked. Seeing the answer on the wizard's face, Daphne continued on. "I know you were raised in the Muggle world, but I was not. I have known magic my entire life, and I doubt I could live without it. It's a part of me, Harry," she pleaded, hoping that he would understand what she was saying.

"I know they will obliviate me so that I'll forget all about magic but I know that I will still know that something is missing. Something that is an integral piece of me. Without it I will never be whole again," Daphne told Harry. "Life without magic isn't a life I want to live. It would be a fate worse than death. Let's not even get into the whole thing about not knowing you or Tracey or the others. I can't live that way, Harry. Especially when we have the means to ensure that I never have to," she pleaded.

"It's not that simple," Harry stammered, trying to gather his thoughts for a means to counter her arguments. The fact that Daphne had some very valid points didn't make the job any less difficult for him. _I've always managed to get through things…somehow_. Harry could hear Professor McGonagall's voice in his head saying " _sheer dumb luck_ " from his first year.

"It's me," Daphne breathed out in surprise, having come to the sudden realization of exactly why Harry didn't wish to take her to bed. "You really don't want to be with me in that way. I'm not pretty enough or desirable enough." Though Daphne often appeared strong and confident in herself, she was still a rather young woman with all the insecurities and doubts that anyone her age harbored deep inside. "It's me," she reiterated as she looked up at Harry with watery eyes.

"Merlin no!" Harry exclaimed, quickly crossing the distance to Daphne and taking her in his arms, lest she turn away from him. "How can you even think that Daphne?" he asked in disbelief as the first tear trickled down her cheek. Knowing that actions spoke louder than words, Harry did the one thing he could think of to assure her that she was desirable. Leaning in quickly Harry captured her lips in a searing kiss. _What is it with me and kissing crying witches_ , a small part of his mind wondered?

Once their lips parted Harry leaned his head against Daphne's. "If anything, it is the complete opposite, you are, without a doubt, one of the most fetching witches I know. Honestly, it is I who isn't good enough for you," he told her sincerely. "I love you Daphne, and one day I hope to be worthy of you."

"I love you too, Harry," Daphne replied. "I meant what I said early about the thought of losing you being painful. I want to do everything I can to make certain that doesn't happen. If that means going to bed with you, then I want to do that as well. At least if," Daphne stammered, hating to say her next words, "something goes wrong on Monday then I will be here waiting for you. A life without you in it isn't a life I want to live, Harry."

"I wanted our first time to be special," Harry offered, feeling his resolve crumbling in the face of her logic and heartfelt words. _Bloody hell, why does my life have to be so complicated? I wanted her first time to be something special that she would always remember and cherish. Not a roll in the sheets so she can keep her magic._

"What could be more special than ensuring that we'll be able to be together for the rest of our lives?" Daphne pressed. "I know it isn't how either of us imagined our first time being, but for what it is worth, I'm glad my first time is with you, Harry."

"How about we sleep on it?" Harry replied, only to see Daphne's face be split by a widening smile. "I said sleep," he hastily pointed out to her. "If tomorrow you still feel the same way, then I guess we'll go ahead with what you want," he said, his cheeks blushing slightly at the thought of taking the witch to bed.

Daphne squealed before leaning in and giving Harry a smoldering kiss which curled his toes. Stepping away from the stunned wizard, the young witch grabbed Harry's hand and led him to the bedroom. One of the elves had set the fire so that room was comfortably warm with the flickering lights of the fire dancing on the walls and ceiling.

Harry, realizing that he had won at least a small reprieve, walked around to the side of the bed and began to undress with his back toward Daphne. His time with Luna, who loved to watch him disrobe for some reason, helped him be a little less embarrassed. But just a little bit. Once he was down to only his boxers, he turned about and climbed into the bed, finding that Daphne was already under the covers with them pulled up to her neck.

Once he had settled, laying on his side of the bed on his back, Daphne moved over and put her head on his bare chest, as she draped her body along his side, one leg crossing over his in the process. Harry unconsciously pulled the witch closer to him, his hand slipping beneath the covers and caressing her back tenderly only to stop at a sudden realization. "Daphne," he said in a trembling voice, "where is your nightgown?"

Daphne lifted her head and turned to regard Harry, her body shifted against the wizard's body telling him that she didn't have a stitch on. With hooded eyes that spoke of love and need, Daphne stretch upwards, stopping just short of Harry's lips. "I may have forgotten to mention," she said in a husky voice that did all sorts of terribly wonderful things to Harry's insides as well as altering the direction of the young man's blood flow, "but I already took the potion."

**-oOo-**

Hermione stared at the red brick building with its dilapidated billboard proclaiming the store to be _Purge and Dowse, Ltd_. A smaller sign stated that the store was closed for renovations. The muggle-raised witch just had to shake her head at the rational thinking of the wizarding world, questioning once again if they even had any. _Probably the longest renovation in history_. With a small sigh, the witch stepped through the store window. After a quick word with the only mannequin in the store, the front lobby of St. Mungo's Hospital for Magical Maladies and Injuries appeared.

Stepping to the end of the line of witches and wizards who were waiting to speak with the person behind the front desk, Hermione pondered what had brought her here this morning. The former Head Girl had been somewhat rudely awakened by the shrill voice of Madam Pince who was berating her for falling asleep in her library. _I'm just glad that I hadn't managed to drool on one of the books_ , Hermione thought to herself. She was almost sure the librarian would have had a coronary right on the spot.

Rather than stay in the presence of the irate librarian, Hermione had beat a hasty retreat and soon found herself at the Three Broomsticks. Deciding that she could use a bite to eat, Hermione had ordered breakfast and then found a seat. It was while she was reading a copy of the Daily Prophet that someone had left behind that Hermione had discovered that Ginny was currently at St. Mungo's due to an injury received during Quidditch practice.

"Hermione?" said a voice tinged with surprise, breaking the witch from her thoughts.

Turning, Hermione saw one of the last persons she thought she might run into that morning. It took only a moment for the startled witch to recall that she was currently angry with the wizard in question. "Ronald," she greeted the ginger indifferently.

"What brings you here?" Ron asked, completely missing the displeasure in Hermione's tone.

"Oh, now you want to know what I'm doing?" Hermione snapped, only to see the man's eyes widen in surprise at her tone. "If you must know, I came to see Ginny," Hermione replied in a softer tone as she turned back to face the front of the line dismissively.

"Same," Ron said. "Mum and the others are visiting Charlie right now so I have to check up on her or mum will never let me hear the end of it. Come on, I'll show you to her room," he offered, turning away and heading off down the hall. Left with little choice, and being the reason she was in line, to begin with, Hermione reluctantly followed. The two walked in silence down a hall and then up a flight of stairs before Ron spoke. "You know, I've been meaning to talk to you but have been really busy with Auror training and all."

"Too busy to even write a letter apparently," Hermione said evenly. There were a great many things left unsaid between the two of them. Ever since the kiss they had shared it was like they were dating and yet weren't. Directly after the war there had been the funerals to attend to. She had stuck by Ron and held his hand through everything till Fred had been laid to rest within the Weasley family plot.

It was shortly after that when Hermione had left with Harry to go find her parents. Upon returning from that disastrous trip, it had taken a few weeks for the young witch to feel up to any company. By then there was the talk of going back to Hogwarts for her final year and Ron starting Auror training. In all that was happening, they had never had a chance to actually sit and talk about what had happened between them and what it meant for their future.

"Look," Ron started with, a sigh escaping his lips before he continued. "I want to apologize for not speaking with you proper like. Every time I wanted to I sort chickened out," the young wizard confessed. "You're a bit intimidating, you know?" Ron asked with a small smile as he glanced in her direction.

Hermione couldn't stop the small grin that appeared on her face at hearing his words. "Ronald, we've been friends for ages. We should be able to talk about anything," Hermione finally replied.

"No offense, but there is any number of womanly things you and others have to go through which I would prefer to never hear anything about," Ron informed her, causing a snort of humor from the witch beside him. "Honestly, that kiss freaked me out a bit I think," Ron confessed, his tone turning serious once again. "It was nice and all, but…," the young man's words trailed off nervously, uncertain just how to convey what he had felt.

"Not what you thought it would be?" Hermione supplied helpfully only to see Ron nod in agreement.

"I imagine it felt about the same way it would if I had kissed Ginny," Ron said truthfully.

"Oh? Maybe we can put that to the test?" Hermione teased. The young witch realized that it didn't really hurt that Ron had rejected her. She knew that a lot of that had to do with the fact that she herself had actually moved on already. _I love Harry and probably always have_ , she thought. _Still, it is nice to at least have some closure where Ron is concerned_.

"Eww! Yuke!" Ron exclaimed, a disgusted shiver traversing his spine at the images called to mind of him kissing his sister. "That's just gross!"

Hermione couldn't help but laugh at the expression on her friend's face. "I'm sure there is any number of wizards who would love a good snog session with Ginny."

"Like hell they will," Ron stated, his protective brother side making an appearance. "I mean if it was Harry that would probably be alright," Ron added, thinking that it would be nice to have Harry as a real brother instead of just an honorary Weasley.

"So, just friends?" Hermione asked to change the subject, not really wishing to think about Harry and Ginny snogging.

"Always," Ron replied with a relieved smile. "Here we are," he added with a gesture toward a door. "I would stay, but I'm already late for training as is."

"I understand," Hermione told him, giving him a quick hug goodbye. Once the two parted ways, Hermione turned and knocked on the door, waiting till she heard a reply before sticking her head into the room. "Hey, Ginny. Up for some company?" she asked the witch seated in bed.

"Hermione!" Ginny exclaimed in surprise. "Oh hell yes!" the youngest Weasley exclaimed waving the older witch in. "You just missed Ron. He had to get back to his training thankfully!" Seeing the questioning look on Hermione's face as she approached Ginny explained. "He fusses and worries more than mum does! I swear he must think I'm made out of spun glass or something!"

"Well you are the only Weasley girl," Hermione pointed out to Ginny. "It's only natural for your brothers to be somewhat protective. I think that is one of the things I envy about you. Being an only child does have its drawbacks."

"Ron pushes it way past protective, Hermione," Ginny stated. "Anytime you want to borrow any of my brothers, please go right ahead!" She told the older witch drawing a smile from Hermione.

"How are you?" Hermione inquired, changing the topic.

"Bored out of my mind. I hate being in the hospital. A bit sore but otherwise fine," Ginny told her. "If the healers agree to it they should be letting me out later today. Apparently, I have an extra thick skull and so had less damage than a normal person would have had," Ginny joked.

"That's good," Hermione replied, glad that the injury wasn't serious. "You'd have to be pretty tough to put up with all your brothers," Hermione teased.

"You have no idea!" Ginny affirmed with an eye roll. "So, Harry tells me that you resigned from being Head Girl and that you even left Hogwarts?" Ginny asked, still believing that Harry had been having a go at her. Everyone at Hogwarts knew that it was Hermione's dream to be Head Girl one day. The youngest Weasley couldn't believe that her friend had given it up once she had it.

"When did you speak to Harry?" Hermione asked, evading the question for the moment.

"He came by yesterday to see how I was doing," Ginny explained. "You didn't answer my question."

"Yes," Hermione confirmed. "It just didn't feel like Hogwarts without Harry or Ron being there. With Luna leaving and you off play Quidditch, there really wasn't anyone I was close friends with still there. It made it a bit hard to stay."

"Couldn't leave Harry alone with all those witches, huh?" Ginny teased with a knowing grin. The fact that Hermione's cheeks turned red told the younger girl that she was spot on. _You're not fooling anyone_ , Ginny mused silently.

"H...how do you know about them?" Hermione stammered.

"Harry told me what is going on," Ginny confessed. "Including what happened during Christmas, the problem he's currently in and how all of you figure into it."

"Really? Wow? Well, perhaps it was good that he was able to talk to someone not related to the issue. Not that it really involves me," Hermione hastily added. "I'm just trying to get him out of trouble once again. I swear he just can't seem to keep himself out of it!"

"Good thing that you'll always be there to bail him out then, huh?" Ginny asked knowingly.

"I guess," Hermione answered. "Well, perhaps it is better that you know as it makes what I need to ask you that much easier. No need to explain all the reasoning behind the request then."

"What request?" Ginny inquired.

"I need you to marry Harry," Hermione said calmly.

Ginny sat there for several long moments, apparently stunned into silence by Hermione's words. "What?" she finally managed to get out.

"I found a way to get Harry out of his current situation but to do that I need you to marry him," Hermione clarified. "You can claim a life debt from your first year which should be enough to qualify."

"Isn't the fact that he's married to two witches what got him into this situation in the first place?" Ginny asked in disbelief. "I hardly see how adding a third marriage will improve things for him."

"Normally you'd be correct," Hermione replied. "If it were just one more," she added before explaining her plan. It took some time to explain the reasoning behind her idea as well as the research she had done to come by the means by which Harry could avoid Azkaban. "With you, there will be the proper number for it to work," Hermione finally concluded.

Ginny let loose a low whistle after hearing what Hermione had to say. "Will that even work?" she asked half in awe and half in fear. While she didn't doubt for a moment that Hermione had done the proper research into the matter, there was one factor the witch seemed to be overlooking. "How do you plan on getting Harry to go along with this? You do know that Harry and I called off our engagement several months ago, right?"

Hermione chewed her bottom lip for a moment at Ginny's question. It was something she had worried over and hadn't as yet reached an answer to. "I think if it comes down to this or going to Azkaban he'll pick this," she finally offered. "I'm sure Harry cares about you, Ginny. Given enough time it will all work itself out."

Ginny wasn't so sure. _I'm not the same girl I was back then_. It was no secret that she had grown up with a severe crush on The Boy Who Lived and later on Harry Potter, once she had gotten to know the real him. Being a Harpy and around older woman had shown her just how spoiled and childish she had been acting. _I'm not the same little girl I was before. I put that person and those feelings behind myself. I rather like the new me_ , she admitted to herself.

"There has to be some other way to save him, Hermione," Ginny stated. "Have you checked? You can't be happy about this?"

"We've done nothing but check for weeks now, and this is the first thing that has given me any hope of working," Hermione explained. "It indeed wouldn't be my choice if there was another way to keep Harry out of Azkaban. I keep feeling that we're running out of time too. Harry never has the best of luck when it comes to these things."

_In all my dreams and fantasies this was never how I envisioned marrying Harry. Bloody hell, but just about every witch has dreamed about marrying Harry at some point in their life, but here I am with an actual chance of doing so_. "Have you told the others yet?" Ginny asked, curious what their reactions had been like. _I'd imagine about the same as mine_ , she guessed.

"Not yet," Hermione replied, "and to answer your first question, yes it will work. It has to! I don't know what I would do if Harry had to go to Azkaban!" _Actually, I know exactly what I would do, though it wouldn't be easy._ The highly intelligent witch's mind was already working out ways of getting him out should the worst-case scenario come to pass.

"Hermione, shouldn't it be you that marries Harry?" Ginny asked hesitantly. Though she had been sorted into Gryffindor, she was still a reasonably smart witch. Ginny well knew that Hermione loved Harry and that unless she was way off, he loved Hermione as well. It hadn't been easy to admit, but while doing some soul searching after a particularly nasty practice with the Harpies, Ginny had admitted to herself that Hermione and Harry would have been a pretty good match.

"Me?" Hermione squeaked out in shock. As much as she would love to marry Harry, that was the last question she had expected Ginny to give voice to. "Why would you even ask that?"

"You love him too," Ginny stated rather than asked. "I know Harry loves you. The entire school knew you two loved each other. All the witches in school who wanted to be with Harry could never get past you. It wasn't long before they started to figure that was because you guys were already an item. Those closest to you both knew better," Ginny added upon seeing Hermione beginning to object. "George and Fred even had a pool going for when the two of you would finally wise up and realize how you felt about each other."

Hermione, for her part, looked adequately scandalized to hear that the twins had a betting pool going on her and Harry. It took a moment for the young witch to wrap her head around that one. _Have I really been that blind all this time_ , she asked herself? "Maybe," Hermione finally mumbled so softly that Ginny barely heard it. "That doesn't matter though," Hermione said in a firmer tone.

"How can it not matter?" Ginny inquired in disbelief. "If you love each other then shouldn't you be together?" It seemed to make perfect sense to Ginny. _If I'm right, which I know I am, they will make each other happy,_ Ginny thought. _Whatever happens with the others I know Hermione would never hurt Harry. If I have to give him to someone, I'm glad it's her_.

"It's rather hard to explain," Hermione started with only to see a questioning look on Ginny's face. "Over Christmas, I finally got my parents back. Harry paid them a visit it seems and managed to talk some sense into them apparently. He even got them to come to Hogwarts to visit me."

"That certainly sounds like something Harry would do," Ginny admitted with an affectionate smile for the overly thoughtful wizard.

"I know," Hermione said with a matching look to Ginny's on her face. "The thing is, my parents are part of C of E. Church of England," Hermione clarified for her friend. "Multiple marriages, or polygamy as the Muggles call it, is just something that's not done in their world. My parents would disown me if I tried to do something like that. I only just got them back," Hermione said in a pleading tone, hoping Ginny could understand.

Ginny looked thoughtful for several long moments before she responded. "I guess I can't expect you to give up your parents just to save Harry."

"But I am saving Harry," Hermione insisted. "That's why I am here and why you have to marry Harry."

Ginny thought for a long moment before continuing. "As much as I think you are making a colossal mistake by not marrying him yourself if it will keep Harry out of Azkaban then okay. There are certainly worse fates than to be married to The Boy Who Lived," Ginny teased. "So, what's the plan?"

"I don't have it all worked out just yet," Hermione replied. "I still need to talk to the others about it and make certain they don't have any objections. I'm fairly certain that they will agree, though Andi might be a sticking point. I don't know how her or Harry will take the age difference. I mean she is old enough to be his mother."

Ginny chewed the inside of her cheek for a long moment before voicing her thoughts on the matter. "I would normally agree with you. However, this is the wizarding world, not the muggle one," she pointed out. "We tend to live longer, and hence the age difference might not be that big of an issue. At least not to other witches and wizards. I know from what you've told me before that their ages would certainly be looked down upon in the Muggle world."

"It's not really the Muggle world or even the Wizarding world I'm concerned about," Hermione replied, "It's Harry. Sometimes he is far too noble for his own good."

**-oOo-**

Astoria Greengrass untied the missive from the owl's leg, absently offering it a treat before it flew off. It wasn't a bird that she knew, so the young witch wasn't sure who the letter was from. Opening the letter, she quickly recognized the handwriting. It only took a moment for the young woman to read the words of the message which saw her leaving her rooms just short of a mad dash.

"Harry!" Astoria exclaimed upon bursting into the wizard's study. "Thank goodness I've found you!" she added while attempting to catch her breath, one hand clutching the door frame as she bent over gasping for air. Witches and wizards were not well known for their physical fitness. Doing everything with a flick of a wand did have certain drawbacks apparently.

"I didn't realize I was all that difficult to find," Harry replied with a grin as he stood from behind his desk and walked around it to meet the witch. "And a good morning to you too, Astoria."

"Yes. Yes," Astoria replied, waving his words away with one hand as she crossed the room. "Good morning to you as well, Harry. Though it is well past morning, nearly noon actually," the bright witch clarified.

"True but I don't think you spoke a single word to me all morning, especially at breakfast," Harry informed her with a knowing grin. "You were a little preoccupied I guess."

Harry's reminder of Draco being there at breakfast reminded her exactly why she had searched out Harry in the first place. "About that," Astoria opened with, "I need your help. _We_ need your help." Seeing the questioning look on the wizard's face, she merely handed over the letter.

Harry accepted the folded bit of parchment and started reading it. "Disowned and kicked out," he read aloud with a low whistle. "Wonder what Draco did to deserve that?" Harry questioned. "Never thought I would see the day where Malfoy senior would eject his only son from his family. What is it you'd like me to do?" Harry asked as he leaned against the front of his desk and motioned for Astoria to take a seat in one of the chairs there.

The young witch quickly took the offered seat, accepting the letter back from Harry when he held it out to her. "I would like for you to wed me to Draco," Astoria voiced with a squaring of her shoulders.

Harry's eyes widened in surprise at the girl's words. _I guess I really should have seen that coming_ , he thought to himself. "Let us for the moment forget everything else, didn't I just cancel a marriage contract between you and Draco?"

"Yes, but that was different," Astoria replied calmly.

"How is this any different?" Harry asked, certain that it amounted to the same thing. At least to him, it did. "You'd be married all the same."

"Yes, that is true, but it wouldn't be due to a marriage contract," Astoria pointed out.

"No, it would be due to you not thinking this through instead," Harry replied. "Draco is without a name, without a home and unless he robbed the Malfoy vault before leaving he is without a means to support the both of you," he pointed out. "Think about what you're asking, Astoria."

"Because you've done such a wonderful job of thinking things through?" Astoria growled back. "Daphne could very well lose her magic because you didn't think things through!"

"That's not going to happen now," Harry stated, looking away in embarrassment.

"How can you possibly know that for cer…," Astoria's words trailed off as it suddenly dawned on her what he was saying. "So, you two… How can you know?"

"She took a potion," Harry answered, looking anywhere but at the witch before him as he felt his cheeks heat into a blush. Talking to Astoria about having bed her older sister had not been on Harry's list of things to do that day. _Not that it would ever be on my list of things to do be it today or any other day for that matter!_

"Oh," was the bright girl's articulate response. "Well that's good," Astoria added after a long pause as she processed that information. With a heavy sigh, the young witch's shoulders slumped. "I have to do something Harry. I can only imagine what Draco is going through right now. There has to be something I can do to help him," she said in a pleading tone, looking up at Harry with watery eyes.

"You really love him that much?" Harry asked. Even with all that he had been through in his life, Harry was still just starting to figure out what real love was. When it came to the women in his home, Harry placed their happiness above his own. _Astoria is doing the same with Draco_ , he thought.

"With everything that I am," Astoria assured him, only to see the wizard's brow crease in thought.

"Astoria, you're young yet. You have your entire life ahead of you still," Harry tried to caution her.

"I know, and I want it to be with Draco, Harry," Astoria replied. "Please. Please do this for me," the young witch begged.

"Kreacher," Harry called, only for the old elf to appear with a small pop. "How is Winky doing?"

"She is well. Master is very kind to ask," Kreacher replied.

"I'm glad to hear that. Please let me know if there is anything Winky needs. Anything at all," Harry replied. "Can you please go and ask Draco if he would be so kind as to join us here. If so, please bring him." The elf gave a small bow and then popped away. "We can't decide anything without his say, can we?" Harry asked upon seeing Astoria's questioning look.

As a smile blossomed on Astoria's face at hearing Harry's words a tea set appeared on the table beside her. "Thank you, Winky," the young girl said to the thin air, knowing the elf would hear it none the less. "Thank you too, Harry," Astoria added as she passed him a cup of tea before turning to fix her own.

"Don't thank me just yet, I haven't done anything," Harry pointed out, accepting the offered tea. Before he could take a sip of the hot beverage, however, the door to the study opened, and Kreacher ushered Draco in. Harry set the tea aside on his desk and stood to greet the wizard. "Draco," Harry greeted with a slight nod. "I'm sorry to hear of your loss," he said awkwardly, uncertain of just what was the right thing to say about someone losing their family name.

"Potter," Draco replied with a slight bow. "You wished to speak with me?" the wizard asked, ignoring the wizard's condolences as it was still a painful subject having only happened a few hours ago.

"Actually, we wanted to speak with you," Astoria said as she stood and turned to face the wizard before crossing to him and hugging him tightly. "How are you?" she inquired, leaning back to give him a once over as if expecting there to be some outward sign of the ordeal he had gone through.

"I am well, Astoria," Draco's assured the witch, a bit embarrassed at being fussed over. Especially in the presence of Harry Potter, who was sporting a bemused grin at the moment. _Astoria must have informed him as to what happened_ , Draco reasoned. "You wished to speak to me concerning something?" Draco asked, trying to get on with the reason he was there.

"Yes. What is this rubbish I hear that you can no longer see Astoria?" Harry asked. Draco's letter had stated as much that without a family name or even a means to support himself that he did not feel it was appropriate for him to see her. It had actually surprised Harry to read that part, though he wasn't sure if it was some old Pure-blood customer or another sign that Draco had indeed changed from the prat he had been while at Hogwarts.

"This isn't a matter that concerns you, Potter," Draco replied a bit stiffly.

"Draco!" Astoria gasped at hearing Draco's tone, causing the former Slytherin to look duly chastised. "I asked Harry for his help. At the very least you will be civil and show him the courtesy required as we are guests in Harry's home."

"This is a private matter, Tori," Draco replied with a small whine, turning to look at the younger girl. Draco had always been a somewhat private wizard. It was the Malfoy way to handle things on their own. While he may not be a Malfoy any longer, a lifetime of values instilled in him did not disappear at the drop of losing his family name.

"In case it slipped your memory, I am her Head of House," Harry pointed out with an amused smile. He wasn't sure what was funnier, Astoria taking Draco to task over his tone or hearing Draco calling the witch ' _Tori_ ' in that tone. _Thank goodness, I don't have bossy women in my life,_ Harry mused rather cluelessly.

"This isn't your problem to fix," Draco replied in a more respectful tone, earning himself a node of approval from the witch beside him.

"Yet here we are," Harry quipped.

"Draco, I asked Harry to allow us to be wed," Astoria said, capturing the blonde wizard's full attention. "As the Head of the Greengrass family, I had to make him aware of what was happening."

"And you agreed?" Draco asked in disbelief, turning to look at Harry.

"No. I told her that she was making a terrible mistake," Harry replied with a small grin. "Apparently she doesn't want to listen to what I have to say though. I was hoping you might be able to talk some sense into her."

Draco wasn't sure if he should be thankful or offended and the confusion showed on his face for a long moment before being hidden behind his usually schooled expression. "Astoria, I can't wed you right now. I have nothing to offer you," Draco said. The young wizard quickly continued upon seeing the witch about to refute his words. "When a couple marries, the man usually gives his name to the woman. I don't have a name to offer you."

"I don't care about a name, Draco," Astoria replied in earnest. "I don't want to marry you for your name. I want the man standing before me. I love you, not some name you feel obligated to give me. I already have a name, Greengrass, and it's a damn fine one! We can just use that."

"Traditionally, the woman marries into the man's family," Draco tried to reason with the witch, "not the other way around. Until I can make a name for myself, I cannot, in good faith, ask your Head of House to court you."

"If a name is all you need, I can take care of that," Harry offered.

"Not helping, Potter," Draco quipped without looking away from Astoria.

"Not trying to, Draco," Harry replied with a smirk, finding the situation Draco was in more than a little humorous.

"While I am certain it would provide you no end to amusement to saddle me with the Potter name," Draco drawled, "I neither asked for it nor want it."

"Putting that I would never even consider making you a Potter aside, that was not the name I had in mind," Harry replied a bit evenly.

Astoria reached out and captured both of Draco's hands, pulling them to her chest. "Please Draco? For us," she pleaded. "Do this for me."

"Even if I had a name," Draco's opened with, staring down into the eyes of the woman he loved, "how could I possibly marry you. I don't have the means to take care of myself at the moment. I'm poorer than the Weasleys."

"And yet they managed to put seven kids through Hogwarts," Harry pointed out dryly, not liking the slight against his friends. _Why am I even offering to help this git_ , he wondered only to look over and see the beseeching look on Astoria's face. _Bloody hell! The things I have to do to make people in my care happy!_ "If it is a job you're in need of I can take care of that as well."

"Once again, I appreciate the offer, Potter, but I don't need your charity," Draco replied.

"I beg to differ," was Harry's reply. "I think you need my help very much."

"Why would that be?" Draco bit, too curious to let it drop.

"If I have to go to Azkaban for ten years you can well bet that Astoria's father will become the new head of the Greengrass family," Harry pointed out. "If that happens, Astoria will be sold off in a marriage contract, and I'm fairly certain it won't be to you. As you said, you have neither a name nor a means by which to support the both of you."

Draco knew that what Harry spoke was the truth of the matter. There was no way that Gerald Greengrass, a man who only did that which would benefit himself, would ever allow him to wed Astoria. Looking once more into the pleading eyes of Astoria Draco knew there was really only one answer. "What did you have in mind?" he asked without looking away from the witch grasping his hands to her chest still.

"I can't believe I'm saying this," Harry sighed, running one hand through his hair before continuing. "You'll need to come with me to Gringotts so that we can get the whole name thing sorted. Astoria, I don't think we'll be able to have a big ceremony. If we're to keep you out of your father's clutches, we'll have to do this today or tomorrow."

"I don't need one," Astoria was quick to reply. "I think I actually prefer a small one. Can we have it here, today? I don't want to wait any longer than we have to," she stated gazing lovingly into Draco's eyes.

"If that will make you happy?" Harry replied. The young witch's answering smile was all he needed to see to have that question answered. "Shall we?" Harry asked with a gesture toward the door. "I was just about to head to Gringotts when a frantic witch came bursting into my office," he said with a grin.

"I was not frantic," Astoria protested as she walked with them toward the floo.

"You could hardly breathe and came running in yelling my name!" Harry countered with. "I thought we were under attack or something!"

"Well I was distraught," Astoria whined in her defense.

"Clearly!" Harry said with a chuckle. "Better now?"

Astoria wrapped her arms around Draco's arm beside her and pulled the wizard to her side before replying, "Much." Harry looked away as the two exchanged a chaste kiss goodbye before they left via the floo. _I'm getting married_ , the young girl suddenly thought, staring at the flames as they returned to normal. As she turned away, still lost in her thoughts the floo flared to life. Turning about Astoria greeted the witch who had just arrived. "Welcome back, Hermione."

"Hello Astoria," Hermione replied as she removed the soot from her clothes. "Have I missed anything?"

"Loads," Astoria answered before launching into what had happened. "Harry and the others believe that father will make his play on Monday at the first meeting of the Wizengamot. Draco has been cast out of the Malfoy family, and I'm getting married!" The last was said with a squeal of delight.

"Married?" Hermione gasped in shock. "To whom?" She could but hope that Harry hadn't somehow managed to get himself roped into another marriage in her absence.

"To Draco of course!" Astoria exclaimed, spinning about in her excitement.

"I'm happy for you then," Hermione offered politely. Though Hermione herself did not particularly care for the former Slytherin wizard, if it made Astoria that giddy then the least she could do was be happy for her. "Do you know if everyone else is at home?"

"I believe so. I think Andi and Luna are off playing with Teddy and Anna," Astoria offered.

"Winky," Hermione called, only to have the elf appear with a small pop. "Can you please ask everyone to meet me in the Library. It is rather important." Winky gave a quick nod before disappearing.

"So, what's up?" Astoria asked, falling into step with the older witch who was headed for the library.

"I may have found a solution to Harry's problem," Hermione confessed.

"Really?" Astoria exclaimed in surprise.

"Well there are a lot of _'ifs'_ as yet, so nothing is for sure just yet," Hermione cautioned. "but, it should work if everything goes right."

"Daphne will be thrilled!" Astoria offered with a smile of relief.

"I wouldn't go claiming her magic is saved just yet," Hermione said, not wanting the younger Greengrass sister to jump to any conclusions. _At least they won't have to rush right into starting a family this way_ , she thought to herself.

Astoria's brow creased in thought as she attempted to figure out what Hermione had discovered. "Harry took care of that last night apparently," she said absently, lost in thought. "I meant that Daph would be happy that her husband won't be missing for ten years," she further clarified.

"He did, did he?" Hermione stammered as a pain of jealousy stabbed at her gut and caused her heart to ache in a manner she was becoming all too familiar with these days. "Well, that's good. One less thing to worry about I suppose."

"I know! Isn't it?" Astoria agreed as she opened the door for the older girl, completely missing the dejected look on Hermione's face as she stepped past.

Luna was the first to arrive, slipping into the library quietly. The former Ravenclaw took one look at Hermione and hastened over to give her a warm hug. "Are you alright?" Luna inquired, stepping back and regarding her friend.

"I'm fine," Hermione replied, forcing a smile on her face. She couldn't fail to notice that she sounded just like Harry when he said that. _No need for Luna to worry about something she can't change_ , Hermione reasoned. The intelligent witch gathered that Harry must do that for the very same reason, to keep everyone from worrying. Seeing Luna give her a skeptical look Hermione added, "Really."

The brightest witch of their age was spared further interrogation by the arrival of the remaining members of the household. Astoria lost no time in telling them all of her pending nuptials later that day. After suitable congratulations were expressed by all, they took a seat at the large table in the middle of the library. Once seated they all turned and looked at Hermione expectantly.

"I'm assuming you've found something?" Andi asked, giving voice to the question that was on everyone's mind at that moment.

"I believe so," Hermione replied as she pulled forth a rather large tome from her small handbag. Setting the book on the table before she opened it revealing that instead of pages it had individual pieces of parchment that had been bound within the book. "Do any of you know the history of the Chief Warlock position on the Wizengamot?"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Mad cackling is heard as the readers scramble off to their favorite Harry Potter Wiki to research the Chief Warlock position. Sorry about that. The Muse seems to be without her meds at the moment. Pay her no mind. Yes, I know I backstepped timeline wise at the start of the chapter (the Draco scene in the previous chapter had taken place the morning of the next day already), but I am stuck writing what the Muse gives me and as I said, she's off her meds currently.
> 
> I'm sure all of you are wondering just what Hermione has discovered. As much as I hate to give you bad news, you won't find out till the Wizengamot finds out. I just hate giving anything away before its time. It shouldn't be too long now I think so just hang in there. I believe we're approaching the end of the story. As I have nothing written ahead of time, it's rather hard to say.
> 
> I am rather on the fence as for what to do with Draco. No, I do not mean having a "Marge II, The Sequel" and blowing him up to the point he explodes from a bout of Harry's accidental magic. While certainly amusing, I do not plan to kill Draco off. Though, if you'd like to write a little Omake about that, I'll be sure to add it, giving you credit. No, what I mean is what Surname should Harry give him. Black just seems a bit overdone and would put him in succession for the Head of the Black family it seems. While some would argue that Andi would inherit the family, I choose to look at the Black family as a Patriarchal one rather than a Matriarchal one. This means a male must inherit the Head of House position. Let me know your thoughts on Draco in a review…on the chapter too for that matter. Many thanks for reading!
> 
> As always, your reviews are not required, but they are greatly appreciated.
> 
> Kind Regards,
> 
> EJ Daniels
> 
> All characters within this story, unless otherwise stated are the sole property of J. K. Rowling the original writer of the Harry Potter series.


	33. When a Man Loves a Woman

"This is nice," Daphne murmured with a contented sigh.

Harry smiled in agreement as the nude witch snuggled further into his side under the covers. It had been a rather busy day, to say the least. First, there had been the matter of going to Gringotts and passing on a name to Draco. Setting up a vault and placing some gold in it for the soon to be wed wizard just seemed like the right thing to do to Harry.

They next had stopped by the offices of Wilburn, Wright, and Pinkerton to make sure all the legal documents were signed and filed correctly. While there Harry had also spoken with Daniel Wright and passed along the information that they believe Gerald Greengrass would make his move at Monday's session of the Wizengamot. The fact that the solicitor hadn't as yet discovered a way out of the marriage mess hadn't raised Harry's hopes for a favorable outcome to Monday's meeting.

One good thing that had come from their visit to Harry's solicitor was that Daniel Wright had provided them with the name of a Binder for the wedding ceremony. Astoria had been rather adamant about using a Binder rather than a simple legal service or even a marriage contract. A Binder, through the use of specific spells, actually joined the magic of the couple together, hence the name.

The downside to such a marriage was that neither would ever be able to walk away from the union. Once joined by a Binder, there was no way to unbind the couple. Even in death if one of them should pass away, the survivor would still be bound to the other and would, therefore, be unable to take someone else as a spouse at a later date. Using a Binder had fallen out of favor due to this, but there were still a few who performed the rather ancient ceremony.

"I can certainly get used to this," Harry replied with a small appreciative smile.

Daphne didn't even try to stop the grin that she felt spreading across her face. "Me too," she agreed. "Thank you, Harry."

"For what?" the wizard asked.

"For everything. For this," Daphne said, shifting against Harry's side and squeezing him tightly to her. "For what you did for Tori and Draco. Even though I know you and he was at odds your entire time at Hogwarts. It is one of the many qualities I love about you. Your willingness to help others in their times of need."

"I didn't do it for Draco," Harry told her. "I did it for Astoria. As her Head of House, it was my responsibility to see that she is happy. Draco just happened to benefit from it as well I guess."

"So, you gave Draco a family name for Astoria's sake?" Daphne inquired, not buying it.

"Of course," Harry assured her. "Their fates are joined now. What affects one of them affects them both," Harry explained. "I can't very well have your sister being called ' _Missus Noname'_ now can I?"

"I suppose not," Daphne reluctantly conceded. "Why did you pick that family name though?"

"I don't know," Harry offered. Daphne waited, having learned that sometimes you had to allow the wizard to gather his thoughts before Harry would tell you the rest. "I guess I felt sorry for him. I know what it feels like to not have a family. I can only imagine what it must have been like to have his taken from him. At least I was young enough that I don't remember what happened," Harry lied.

"Draco has always been a Pure-blood. It's all he's known his entire life," Harry continued. "I could have been petty and not helped him or given him a different name I guess. I wanted to be the better man. Take the high road and all that."

"You are the better man," Daphne assured him before she turned her head and kissed his bare chest. "So, you gave him a Pure-blood name to replace the one he lost?"

"It was either that one or Fleamont," Harry replied.

"Fleamont?" Daphne asked, lifting herself up onto an elbow and turning to look at Harry.

"It was my great-great-grandmother's maiden name. As she was the last of her family the name was absorbed into the Potter family when she passed away," Harry explained.

"So why not use it?" the curious witch asked.

"Fleamont Potter was my grandfather. His father, Henry Potter, for who I am named after I think, named his son Fleamont at his mother's request to keep her family name alive. I think using that name would have put Draco closer to the Potter name than either of us would like," Harry answered as he shifted, rolling Daphne onto her back and placing himself on top of her. It was only a moment before his lips found their way to the soft, warm skin on the side of the witch's neck.

"I wonder what they're doing right now?" Daphne voiced, thinking about her sister and her new brother-in-law.

"Way to ruin the moment, Daph," Harry snorted, lifting his head and regarding his wife. "I would imagine pretty much the same thing we had been doing given the requirements of the bonding ritual."

"Hush you," Daphne admonished him as she pulled his head back to towards her neck. "You were perfectly fine with what you were doing. Then you had to go and ruin it by speaking," she teased. "It was a rhetorical question anyway. What I meant was how are they doing. I hope they will be alright and get on as we do."

Harry paused in peppering Daphne's neck with small wet kisses. "I'm trying to get on here, but someone wants to have a chin wag apparently."

"You can't do both at the same time?" Daphne inquired playfully.

"Not if you want my full attention to ensure I do it properly," Harry told her before capturing Daphne's earlobe in his lips and flicking it with a warm tongue.

Daphne gave a low moan of pleasure. "Less talking, more of that," she demanded. It was sometime later when the spent lovers collapsed next to each other tired but content.

"Oh goodie, you're done," Luna said from Harry's side of the bed.

"Luna!" Daphne gasped in surprise as she hastily pulled the covers up to hide her nakedness. "How did you get in here?" Daphne couldn't help but wonder just how long the younger witch had been standing there watching them. Given that the room was pretty dark, the fire having burned down to embers long ago, it could have been for some time she realized.

"Through the door silly," Luna answered as she started to pull her nightgown off.

"Luna, what are you doing?" Harry asked even though it was somewhat evident that the petite blonde had every intention of joining them in Harry's bed.

"You had last night and tonight to make certain Daphne's magic is safe," Lune replied as she shed her nightgown and dropped it to the floor. It became apparent rather quickly that it was rather cool in the room. "You're my husband as well, and I want to sleep with you too."

"Wait!" Daphne said, "I'm not…I mean I don't even know if…," her words trailed off as she wasn't sure how to say what she wanted to. While she had been with Tracey before Daphne wasn't really sure if she flew on that side of the broom or if it was just with Tracey. Catching herself eyeing the other witch's body and thinking it was rather fit, Daphne felt her cheeks heat into a blush. _Apparently, I don't just fly on one side of the broom_ , she found herself thinking, given what she and Harry had just done for the third time that night.

"I know I'm not Tracey," Luna said, and she climbed into the bed from Harry's side and slid over to be next to the wizard she loved, "but I really do just want to sleep. I find I sleep much better when I am with Harry," she told Daphne.

"But I don't have any clothes on," Daphne pointed out feebly.

"None of us do," Luna pointed out. "So that makes us all equal. Besides, I don't sleep with anything on anyways," she added as she pulled the covers around her shoulders and molded herself to Harry's side.

"You're not going to say anything?" Daphne asked looking at the wizard next to her.

Harry looked thoughtful for a long moment before he replied, "I'm not really fond of staying at St. Mongo's. I have two lovely and very naked witches in bed with me. I would have to be rather mental to want to be anyplace other than here," he added with a grin.

"Bloody hell," Daphne mumbled before scooting over and claiming Harry's other side for herself. The wizard slipped an arm around her and pulled her in close. Daphne had just closed her eyes and decided to at least try and get some sleep when she heard the former Ravenclaw speak.

"You know you swore like that while Harry was making love to you too. I was rather surprised actually," Luna said in a sleepy voice. "I'm sure Tracey would be quite proud of you."

**-oOo-**

Harry stepped from the lavish bathroom, dressed and ready to go even though it was still the middle of the night. Having dozed for a scant hour or so before awakening, the young wizard had slipped from the bed being careful not to disturb the two girls. Stepping to the foot of the enormous bed Harry gazed upon the two sleeping figures, a soft tender smile gracing his features.

In his absence the two girls had each moved closer towards the center of the bed, perhaps seeking his absent warmth. The end result was that Daphne now cradled Luna's head to her bosom. Luna, in turn, was snuggled into the soft swell of Daphne's breasts with her legs entwined with the older girl's, one arm slung over Daphne's side. All in all, Harry found the image incredibly endearing as well as a little arousing, seeing as both girls were without clothing.

Pushing aside the suggestions his hormones were providing him, Harry slipped from the bedroom and made his way from his suite of rooms. His wandering feet lead him to the library of Westfield Manor as they had done any number of other nights. The young man was somewhat surprised to find upon opening the door that he was not the only one who couldn't sleep. The lone witch seated at the table looked up upon hearing the library door open and gave him a small smile.

"Couldn't sleep?" Hermione inquired, watching Harry cross the room toward her.

"I slept," Harry replied with a small shrug. "A little," he added upon seeing the skeptical expression that appeared on her face upon hearing his words. "What about you?" Harry asked, shifting the conversation away from himself. There was no need for Hermione, or any of the others for that matter, to know just how much, or how little, he slept these days. "Shouldn't you be a bed as well? It must be after midnight already."

"Closer to two in the morning, actually," Hermione admitted, looking down sheepishly. The studious woman was worried about what would happen on Monday and had little luck sleeping that evening when she had tried. As slumber eluded her, Hermione had sought comfort in the company of her oldest friends, books.

"What's that?" Harry asked, jutting his chin out a bit to point to the rather large and old looking tome which rested on the table before the witch. "Found something that will save me?" he asked half in jest and half in hope as a grin spread across his features.

"Actually," Hermione began only to trail off as Harry hitched a hip and sat on the table next to her. One leg resting on the floor and the other dangling freely. Seeing the shocked look on his face at her partial admission, Hermione continued. "Maybe. Possibly. I'm just not sure," she finally said, uncertainty clearly in her tone.

"Truly?" Harry exclaimed in disbelief. Harry doubted that he would be alive at all if it weren't for the witch seated before him. _She always figures out some way to save my arse regardless of the trouble I always seem to manage to get myself into_ , he thought to himself. _I would truly be lost without her beside me_. "What did you find?" Harry pressed eagerly.

Hermione hesitated to respond. The meeting that she had with the others earlier hadn't gone nearly as well as she hoped it would. Andi had been rather adamant that there had to be some other way to save Harry. When Hermione had snapped and said she was open to any other suggestions the older witch had stood and stormed from the room. Seeing that Harry was waiting for an answer Hermione looked up at him, "Do you trust me?" she asked, resting one hand on his thigh.

"With my life," Harry replied without a moment's hesitation. "You've been with me through everything, Hermione. You never doubted me, never abandoned me. Even when you believed me wrong, such as in our fifth year, you still came with me to the Ministry. How could I not trust you?" Harry asked as he reached out, covering her hand with his own where it rested upon his leg.

"Then you need to trust me on this, Harry," Hermione replied, trying to ignore the warmth that surged within her chest as his words. "There are still a few things I need to work out for this to work," the young witch continued with. "Even then I'm not certain it will," she confessed, her eyes dropping as she suddenly felt like she was letting Harry down in some way.

"Hermione Granger," Harry said with a smirk. "In all the time that I've known you, I have never once seen you doubt yourself like this," he teased.

"This is too important to get wrong," Hermione was quick to point out.

"Oh, and Voldemort trying to kill me wasn't?" Harry asked with a small chuckle of disbelief.

"That was different!" Hermione exclaimed, her head snapping up so she could look at him.

"You are correct of course. Then again, you're always correct," Harry teased his friend, receiving a playful slapping of his leg for his efforts. "That was life and death, where this is not," Harry continued with after a slight pause.

"I'm not always correct," Hermione protested.

"You are when it matters, Hermione," Harry corrected her. "Worst case is I spend ten years in Azkaban. No one will die on my account this time. That fact alone already makes this better than Tom and that blasted war."

"Harry, none of those deaths were your fault," Hermione said, reaching out and capturing his hand in hers. "You could no more control what that fiend did than I could!"

Harry just smiled indulgently having learned that it was better not to argue with Hermione when she believed herself correct. "Of course, I'm certain it's as you say," he replied with a small smile that didn't reach his eyes. "I just wish…," Harry started to say, his words trailing off.

"I know," Hermione said in a reassuring tone. "Me too," she added, giving his hand in her's a small squeeze.

The two remained silent for several long moments as each thought of things they wish they could change. Harry gave a small sigh. "How did my life get so messed up again," he asked rhetorically. "I thought once we had dealt with Tom I could have a normal life."

"When has your life ever been normal, Harry?" Hermione asked with a humorless snort.

"Too true. Too true," Harry agreed. "All I've ever wanted was to have a normal life. Go to school. Make friends. Find a nice girl to fall in love with and raise a family," he said, taking her hand in his once again and giving it a gentle squeeze.

"Well, you certainly have that last part covered," Hermione quipped in a quivering tone, making to pull her hand from his.

"Not the right girl though," Harry said, refusing to release Hermione's hand. "If I had a choice in the matter I would that it were you I was wed to you know," he stated softly.

Hermione gave a nervous chuckle as her heart beat erratically in her chest at his words. "You don't have to say that, Harry," she replied dismissively.

"It's true, you know," said Harry. "You've been with me through everything, Hermione. No matter how crazy my life has gotten, there was one thing I could always count on, you. When the war was going on, there was a time when I felt as though I couldn't continue. I was depressed and ready to just give up, but then you would be there beside me, and I somehow found the strength and courage to carry on. You've always been the one constant thing in my life, and I would be a great fool indeed not to want to keep you in my life forever."

Hermione dropped her head, hiding her face from Harry. His words warmed her inside as only he could do. The young woman's heart both raced as well as ached, wishing she was the one married to Harry. "What, so I could keep saving your arse?" she asked in an attempt at humor which felt flat.

Harry reached out and slipping a finger beneath Hermione's chin, lifted her head till she was looking directly at him. "No, because I love you and perhaps more importantly because I am in love with you, Hermione. I think I have been for some time I just didn't realize it. We started out as friends, and it has grown from there over the years. I just wasn't aware how much it had grown till all this mess happened."

"Why are you telling me this now, Harry?" Hermione asked.

Harry gave a sad little-crooked smile. "Because I want you to know how I truly feel about you. There is no telling what will happen come Monday and I felt…well I just felt you should know," he finished with. Harry left unvoiced the thought that after Monday he might not have a chance to tell her how he felt for another decade at best.

"Have you so little faith in my ability to save your bum?" Hermione asked, a small smile gracing her features. Inside the young witch's emotions were in turmoil. A part of her was thrilled beyond belief that Harry had actually told her that he loved her. Had it happened under any other circumstances Hermione had little doubt that she would have been walking on cloud nine as Luna had stated. Now, however, it sounded more as if Harry was saying goodbye to her.

There was another part of Hermione that now wished she hadn't spoken to Ginny about marrying Harry. While there was still the issue of her parents and their faith, in the face of Harry's confession of his love for her, she felt that perhaps, in time, her parents would understand. _Or not_ , she couldn't help but add silently to herself. Trying to choose between parents she had just had returned to her, and the man she loved was an exercise in futility she had found.

"No. Never," Harry was quick to reply. "However, this is the Wizengamot, and they must follow the laws. Greengrass will certainly be well prepared, and he does have a bit more experience at this than we do."

"But you're the Hero of the Wizarding World, Harry," Hermione felt obligated to point out.

"For all the good it will do me," snorted Harry. "I am not above the law, Hermione and in this case, I broke it."

"It's not your fault!" Hermione exclaimed, shooting to her feet in his defense.

"No, it's not," Harry agreed, reaching out and pulling Hermione into his embrace in an effort to calm the irate witch. After a moment he felt Hermione relax against him and felt her arms encircle him. "There are still many on the Wizengamot who are stuck in their ways," he said softly. "They will see what Greengrass did as something to be commended rather than punished, I'm sure."

"It's not fair. Why does it always have to be you, Harry?" Hermione asked with a sad little sniffle. The young woman's emotions seemed to be all over the place at the moment.

Harry gave a small shrug. "Who knows? I've given up trying to figure that one out," he said, leaning back so he could look at her face once more. Hermione's watery brown eyes nearly broke his heart. _She always gets upset on my behalf_ , Harry realized. "The truth of the matter is that when I asked Luna to marry me, I broke the law. It's plain and simple."

"Nothing is ever plain or simple when it comes to you, Harry," Hermione teased, the barest hint of a smile touching her features.

"And yet you love me anyway," quipped Harry, playfully.

Hermine's face became serious once more as she replied, "And yet I do. I truly do love you, Harry. I'm not sure when exactly I fell in love with you. It might have been as far back as the troll incident. No one had ever done something like that for me before," she hastily explained.

"I should hope not!" Harry exclaimed with a grin. "I should think that one troll in a lifetime would be more than enough for any witch or wizard!" The wizard's words brought a grin to Hermione's face and earned him a slap on the shoulder for his efforts.

"I'm being serious here, Harry!" Hermione chastised him, the smile on her face taking any real heat from her words. "I truly am hopelessly in love with you Harry Potter. Had things turned out differently…," Hermione started to say, only for her words to trail off as her heart hurt just at thinking what might have been.

"Had things been different," Harry agreed softly, knowing full well what Hermione was unable to say. They had long been able to understand one another without the need for words. A look, a touch, was often all it took to convey meaning between the two and now was no different. It was something special they shared that either was uncertain just when it had started, but it was part of what made them so close.

It would be hard-pressed for anyone watching to determine just who moved first. Perhaps they moved, as had happened so many time throughout their long friendship, in unison. Lips met in a soft tender kiss that spoke of the possibilities that the future could have held for the two. Arms held onto one another, fearful that should they let go, they may never once again be allowed to hold the person that meant the most to them.

How long the kiss lasted, neither knew or cared. Eventually, they parted only to stand staring into each other's eyes, a wealth of emotions being shared silently. "Come with me," Harry finally said, slipping from his seat upon the table and taking Hermione's hand in his. At that moment Harry could have asked for anything and Hermione would have willingly given it. So it was that in short order Hermione found herself cuddled into Harry's chest with a warm cloak wrapped around the two of them as she sat sidesaddle on Harry's broom.

The hour was very late, or early, depending on how you wanted to look at it. The moon, bright and full had nearly completed its journey across the night sky. A fresh blanket of pristine snow covered the ground below them as they glided through the air. A canopy of stars twinkled high above them for there were no city lights to obscure their view of the amazing display.

"It's beautiful," Hermione had to admit, looking up at the heavens above them. The young witch felt Harry's arm tighten around her, pulling her closer to him.

"Yes, it is," Harry agreed, looking at Hermione's upturned face lovingly.

Hermione snuggled in, hiding her blush for she had seen where Harry had been looking when he had replied. "I think I could get used to riding a broom like this," she said softly. "It's not nearly as frightening." Harry, in the way of answer, dropped a soft kiss on the crown of her head before turning and resting his cheek there as the two shared a romantic broom ride in the moonlight.

**-oOo-**

Andi rolled over in bed and decided that she'd had enough of trying to sleep. It was a battle she was clearly losing this night. Try as she might, the older witch found that she couldn't get her mind off of Harry. Ever since the meeting with Hermione, where the younger witch had laid out her plan for saving Harry, he seemed to be all Andi could think about.

"I'm assuming you found something?" Andi recalled asking, fairly certain it was what everyone had wondered when they were called to the library for the impromptu meeting.

"I believe so," Hermione replied to the older witch. "There are still a few things I am trying to work out, as well as some things you may not like."

"Like what?" Tracey was first to ask. The auburn-haired woman was fearful of what would happen both with Harry as well as with Daphne. Having fallen in love with Harry, she certainly did not want him carted off to Azkaban for the next decade.

"Well for one, you'd have to marry Harry," Hermione stated nervously, uncertain just how Tracey would take the news. It was obvious to anyone paying attention that the witch had feelings for Harry but with Daphne and Tracey's relationship, it was complicated with no telling how things would settle in the end.

"Just how would Harry marrying more witches help?" Daphne was quick to ask. "It's the fact that he's married to Luna and I that got him into this mess, to begin with. I would think breaking his marriage to either of us would be the best course of action."

"Normally you would be correct, but I think we all know that Harry is not about to break either marriage, regardless of what it could cost him," Hermione pointed out. "Harry would rather spend ten years in Azkaban than break either of your hearts," she added looking from Daphne to Luna.

"Yes, he is rather stubborn that way," Luna confirmed with a small dreamy smile.

"I still fail to see how me marrying Harry would help," Tracey stated. "Not that I have a problem with marrying him, mind you," she was quick to add. "I just don't understand your plan, Hermione. How can one more marriage make any difference?"

"Well, it wouldn't be just one," Hermione clarified. Her words brought looks of disbelief around the table. "There are two others that would have to be wed to Harry as well. Ginny Weasley would be one as she is already close with Harry. I've spoken with her, and she has agreed to do this for Harry." Hermione could tell that Daphne and Tracey were not thrilled with this news, though Luna appeared to be fine with it, judging by the smile on her face.

"You seem to have left yourself out of the list of those wedding Harry," Andi pointed out with an arched brow.

"Oh, no, I won't be wedding, Harry," Hermione quickly stated while trying to ignore the pain in her chest. After Harry's confession last night, it was very difficult to do so. "For reasons of faith I could not do so," she tried to clarify. "Multiple marriages within the Church of England is not permitted."

Andi wanted to ask the younger witch if she was honestly willing to give up on her happiness for religious reasons. _If you can't be happy in life then what use is religion?_ She wondered silently to herself. Everything she had heard about Christianity indicated that God wanted his children to be happy. Hermione denying herself happiness seemed to go against that teaching.

"Perhaps it would be best then if you told us your entire plan rather than having us guess at it," Andi suggested. The Black daughter remembered her own wedding day and the happiness it had brought her. _Perhaps that is why I can't understand why she would deny herself the same_ , she mused. The former Head Girl then informed the others what she had discovered and just how she thought that they could save Harry.

Daphne was the first to speak. "We seem to be short several people then if your plan is to work," the blonde witch stated with a glance around the table they were all seated at.

"As I said, there are still a few aspects of it which I have as yet to work out," Hermione replied a bit defensively. "However, it is the only course of action I have found that has even a chance of saving Harry. I am certain when the time comes that others will step forward and fill the missing places."

"I don't know," said Daphne. "This is the Wizengamot we're talking about here. Most of the members are from old pure-blood families. Harry may have very well saved us from Voldemort, but that doesn't mean they are going to toss aside their beliefs and traditions overnight. I don't think it will work."

"They may be from old families, but even they have to obey the laws that they govern over," Hermione replied, her tone growing slightly heated. The young woman was fearful that her plan wouldn't work and that they would lose Harry for a decade. It was something that scared her to no end. "I am open to any other suggestions you might have!" Hermione snapped, her fear getting the better of her.

Daphne, perhaps realizing what Hermione was feeling, gave the witch a sympathetic look. "I didn't say I wasn't willing to give it a try, Hermione. While I'll admit that I am not pleased with Weasley having to marry Harry, there is little I wouldn't do or put up with to save Harry."

"Sorry," Hermione offered, her hackles coming down. "I'm just…," she started to say only for her words to trail off as she gave a small shrug of her shoulders.

"Scared," Luna provided for her friend. "We're all scared of what could happen on Monday. Not admitting it doesn't make it any less truthful."

"Terrified," quipped Tracey. "I can admit that. I just found Harry. A man I am in love with when I thought that would never be a possibility in my life. Now I may lose him for ten years to that hellhole of a prison!"

"Nice to hear you openly admit that you love him," Daphne said with a small grin. Tracey maturely stuck her tongue out at Daphne in the way of a reply.

"So, Tracey and Ginevra have to wed Harry," Andi stated in an effort to get the conversation back on track, even though she herself sported a smile due to the witches' playful exchange. "I am assuming that you and I can fill two of the missing places?" Andi inquired.

"I can't," Hermione corrected. "Once again our faith will not allow it. I love Harry dearly and were things different I would certainly marry him without a moment's hesitation. I just can't as they are now. Additionally, for this to stand any chance of working, you cannot either."

"Merlin's beard! Why not?" Andi exclaimed in surprise.

"You'll need to be wed to Harry as well," Hermione hesitantly replied.

Andi groaned recalling how she had excused herself from the library after that, but not before stating that she would not marry Harry. Rolling to the edge of the bed, Andi sat up and prepared to face the day now that any chance of sleep was good and gone. Out her window, the sky was just showing the faintest hints of a blush as dawn approached.

With a mechanical steadiness that spoke of years of following the same routine, Andi went through the task of showering and getting ready for the day. Once dressed and presentable she left her suite of rooms and decided to peek in on Teddy and Anna.

The children had been placed in the same room, the one next to Andi's. This allowed Anna to not have to sleep alone in a strange house till she became used to being there. It also gave Teddy easy access to who was fast becoming his favorite person after Harry. The two children had taken an instant liking to each other and were often found playing together. Anna appeared to enjoy being an older sister, having been the youngest before.

Andi eased the door open, not wishing to wake either child and started on spying Harry seated in a chair at the foot of Anna's bed. It appeared that the wizard had been merely sitting there watching over the two sleeping children. "Harry, what are you doing here?" Andi asked in a soft whisper, crossing the room from the door to stand behind the wizard so that she could see Anna and Teddy as well.

For a long moment, Harry hadn't answered, and Andi almost thought he might have been asleep. "She'll be a teenager in ten years," Harry finally said in a low whisper. "Teddy will be just shy of that. I will have missed so much."

Andi frowned, not liking his tone one bit. "What are you talking about, Harry? You'll be here to see them grow up and you'll miss nothing," she replied.

"Will I?" Harry asked, looking away from the slumbering children to look up and over his shoulder at Andi. "I think Daphne's father and Malfoy senior might disagree with you on that."

"Pay them no mind, Harry," Andi told him, reaching out and laying a hand on Harry's shoulder and giving it a reassuring squeeze. "You'll get through this, and a week from now we'll all be laughing at how worried we were about it," she added, trying to sound confident of her words.

"I hope so," Harry replied in a wistful tone, reaching up and laying his hand on hers affectionately. "Should that not happen though you are welcome to remain here with Teddy for as long as you'd like. I have also set aside a stipend for Teddy's education as well as your living expenses till I return. Daniel Wright has all the required paperwork."

"Harry, you sound almost as though you do not expect to beat this," said Andi softly.

"Honestly, I don't know if I will," Harry conceded.

"Giving up before the fight is even joined?" Andi asked in disbelief.

"No. Just trying to be prepared," Harry told her. "Hermione says she has a plan, but on the off chance that doesn't work I need to make certain that all of you are taken care of. I know ten years is not all that long in a wizard's life, and Sirius survived for longer than that. However, he had his Animagus form to help him with that. Which I do not have. I also have a rather strong reaction to Dementors," Harry confessed thinking of his mother's last words and the flashes of green light he always saw when in their presence.

"What are you trying to say?" Andi asked, a cold fear entering her gut.

"If things go badly on Monday and I have to go to Azkaban it is highly likely that when I get out, I will not be much good for anything," Harry said softly. "Or to anyone. You'll take care of Teddy, will you not?"

"Don't be silly!" Andi admonished the seated wizard. "You'll be here to do so yourself."

Harry gave her an indulgent smile before turning back to regard the slumbering children once again. "I'm glad I got to meet you and Teddy," Harry finally said after a long silence had descended between them. "I can see why Sirius said you were his favorite cousin. Beautiful, charming, intelligent, funny. What's not to like?"

"Stop talking this nonsense, Harry," Andi demanded with a hiss only to fall silent as her voice had been louder than she had intended, causing Anna to shift in her sleep in response to the noise. The small child curled into the fetal position before settling once more. "I'll hear not another word of this rubbish of you not being here."

Harry gave a small chuckle, his thumb absently stroking the back of Andi's hand where he still held it on his shoulder. "Andi, it was only through whatever luck we Potters hold that I managed to survive the war and finally finish Riddle. I am fairly confident I used more than my allocated share of luck to complete that. I don't think I have enough left over to make it through this unscathed."

"Surprisingly I'm alright with that," Harry confided. "No one has to die this time for me, and I got to meet and fall in love with some very wonderful witches. Yourself included," Harry said, pulling her hand forward till he could turn his head and place a kiss upon it. "A wizard could do far worse."

Andi blushed upon hearing Harry's words and feeling his lips upon her flesh. Instead of removing her hand from his, Andi slipped her free arm around Harry's shoulders from behind and hugged the wizard to her. Inside the older witch's emotions and thoughts were in turmoil for she had the means by which she could possibly save Harry, yet to do so, she would have to marry someone other than her Ted.

**-oOo-**

"Knock-knock."

Tracey Davis looked up, startled at the unexpected voice. "Harry? What are you doing here?"

"When I couldn't find you at home I asked Daphne where you were," Harry said, mounting the rest of the steps and entering the loft above Divine Dresses by Davis. "I knocked and called out when I entered but received no answer," Harry explained.

"Sorry," Tracey apologized. "I was lost in thought about different designs and what to offer as a spring line," the witch explained.

"You couldn't do this at home?" Harry asked, more curious than anything else.

"I was starting to go a little mental, sitting around waiting for tomorrow to get here," Tracey confided. "Just between us, I think Daphne was about ready to toss me out of her room as my pacing was starting to wear on her nerves." This brought a chuckle from Harry as he could just picture that happening. "This," Tracey started with, gesturing toward all the patterns and cloth swatches arrayed before her on a large table, "at least allows me to get my mind off of what could happen tomorrow."

After moving a few things out of the way, Harry hitched up one leg a bit and took a seat on the edge of the table beside the witch. "Speaking of that, I've made arrangements with my account manager and had a vault established at Gringotts for the store. You have full access to it of course. I placed a small number of galleons in there which will hopefully help you get things going."

"I received a letter from Gringotts this morning with the vault details," Tracey replied. Harry's idea of ' _a small amount_ ' was amusing Tracey thought. "It's enough to buy a small country," she murmured under her breath to herself. "I think it more than enough to have us up and running, Harry. Thank you for that," she said, leaning over and giving him a small peck on the cheek.

"It's the least I could do," Harry replied dismissively, a bit embarrassed. "Should things not go in my favor tomorrow, Daphne will need you more than ever I think," Harry stated in a serious tone, broaching the topic which had brought him in search of the witch beside him in the first place. "I know you'll do all you can for her."

"You sound as if you don't expect to be there, Harry," Tracey scoffed in false bravado, absently moving pieces of cloth about more to keep her hands busy and to prevent the need to look at Harry. Her actions only served to mess up the contents of the table further than they already were. "You'd better not let Daphne hear you talking like that," she cautioned with a forced chuckle.

"It is a distinct possibility," Harry told her, reaching out and capturing Tracey's nervous hands with his own, forcing her to look at him directly. "I'm just trying to make certain that you and everyone else is properly taken care of, Tracey."

"If you want us properly taken care of, Harry," Tracey said, stepping to the wizard and bringing their joined hands to her chest, "then you had best be there to take care of us yourself."

"Believe me, there is no other place I would rather be," Harry told her, slipping one hand free to reach up and cup her cheek tenderly. "If the choice were mine I would spend the rest of my life taking care of you or at least for as long as you could put up with me," he said with a grin.

Tracey wasn't sure if his ' _you_ ' meant just her or all of them, but in truth, it didn't really matter as either way she was included. It was something that she had convinced herself she would never have, a man who loved and cared for her. "Harry," Tracey said hesitantly as she gazed into his emerald orbs, "can you close your eyes for me, please?" Seeing the man arch a brow in question she added, "Do you trust me?" In answer to her question, Harry closed his eyes. Quickly, before her courage fled, the witch leaned in and captured the wizard's lips in a tender kiss.

Eventually, their kiss ended, and Harry once again opened his eyes to regard the beautiful woman before him. "What was that for?" he asked softly.

Tracey chewed her bottom lips for a long moment before she answered. "I've wanted to do that since third-year," Tracey confessed. Though she could feel her cheeks heating into a blush, the young woman was determined not to look away. _I love him_ , she reasoned, _and shouldn't be embarrassed to show him how I feel_. "I…I love you, Harry Potter. If things go pear-shaped tomorrow, I want you to know that I will be waiting for you at home when you are released. Daphne and I both will be."

Harry paused, searching Tracey's face for a long moment before he replied, "I care for you greatly, Tracey. I can't say yet if it is love or not but I believe that if it were given time, it would perhaps grow to be that. I know that probably isn't what you want to hear," Harry began only to be cut off.

"No," Tracey told him with a shake of her head. "It is precisely what I wanted to hear. I'd rather you tell me the truth of it than lie to me and try to say what you think I want to hear. For now, I am content with the possibility that it can grow into something more than it is currently, Harry."

"Why tell me now?" Harry inquired.

"Several reasons actually," Tracey replied. "It could be some time before I would have the chance to tell you should things not go in our favor tomorrow. Also, I am tired of hiding how I feel. Not just from you and the others but from myself as well. Lastly, if you lose tomorrow, I thought that perhaps if you knew you had someone waiting at home for you, it might make it just a bit easier to get through the time."

Harry leaned forward and gave Tracey a soft, gentle kiss which lingered for several long moments. "Thank you for being honest with me, Tracey and for thinking about me. Knowing you are waiting at home will certainly help make the time pass quicker," he assured her. "Knowing now how well you kiss it will also give me something enjoyable to look forward to as well," he added, bringing a smile to Tracey's face.

"Prat," Tracey exclaim, playfully swatting Harry on the arm. Feeling Harry about to remove his arms from around her, Tracey quickly hugged Harry. "Can we just stay like this for a while longer?" she asked softly into his shoulder.

"For as long as you need," Harry replied, holding the witch against his chest.

**-oOo-**

It was late afternoon when Harry returned to Westfield Manor. He had taken Tracey out for a nice lunch, and they had discussed her plans for Devine Dresses by Davis. Harry informed her that he had spoken to Bob about getting some muggle undergarments for the store. They had shared a few laughs when Harry told Tracey about when he had asked Bob about getting into women's undergarments. Afterwards, he had dropped the witch off at the shop and used the floo to return home.

"Finished making the rounds?" Luna asked as Harry stepped from the floo and removed the ashes from his clothes with a wave of his hand and a bit of wandless magic. The former Ravenclaw was well aware that Harry had been taking the time to say goodbye to everyone. She was also fairly sure that each encounter had been different and personalize for the witch involved.

"All except for you and the kids," Harry replied, seeing no reason not to be honest with Luna. _She always seems to know regardless_ , he thought to himself, not for the first time wondering if the petite witch was a seer as well as a witch.

Luna held a hand out to Harry. "Come on then, we can accomplish that all at once," she said. Once Harry had taken her offered hand Luna led him to where Anna and Teddy were playing. The four of them spent the remaining time before the evening meal together playing and enjoying each others company.

When it came time to eat, as one might expect, the meal was a somewhat somber one. Andi, though having returned from work earlier, was not at the table. At first, the others tried to carry on regular conversations, but soon everyone sat silent, pushing their food about on their plates. Given that Astoria and Draco were off on the Black island so they could celebrate their wedding, there really wasn't anyone who felt like being overly cheerful.

Once the meal was finished, almost as if it was some unspoken agreement between everyone, they retired for the evening. Harry had spent some more time with Teddy and Anna, tucking them in and reading them several stories till they had finally fallen asleep. Feeling somewhat drained himself, Harry made his way to his rooms only to find someone waiting for him.

"Luna?" Harry asked with an arched brow, not having expected the witch to be there. "What are you doing here?"

"I'm your wife, am I not?" Luna said with a small smile. "I've come to sleep with my husband."

"Oh, good. I see our husband is finally here," Daphne said, stepping into the room from Harry's bedroom. "I thought we might have to go retrieve you," she added with a playful smile.

"Yes, well, it took several stories for them to fall asleep," Harry stated in his own defense.

"Which is what we thought," Luna said, walking over and taking one of Harry's hands in hers.

"I'm actually surprised you were able to get Anna to sleep so quickly," Daphne added, approaching and taking Harry's other hand in hers.

"Okay, what is going on?" Harry asked, looking back and forth between the two women who started to lead him to the bedroom.

"We talked," Daphne started with.

"and decided that we wanted to sleep with our husband tonight," Luna finished.

"All night," Daphne added, making it clear that they expected him to remain with them till morning.

Once they were in the room, Luna handed Harry a potion. "A dreamless slumber potion," she explained. "You will need to be well rested for tomorrow."

"I can sleep without this," Harry protested, looking at the potion in his hand.

"I told you he would say that," Daphne said with a smirk. "Harry, be a dear and drink it for us," she persisted.

Realizing they weren't going to take no for an answer, Harry downed the potion in a single gulp. The two women then proceeded to disrobe the wizard before tucking him into bed. Afterwards, both witches undressed as well, being certain to take their time, much to Harry's enjoyment. Once all three were under the covers, Harry doused the lights.

"You know, I love you both," Harry told them as he pulled them both in closer to him.

"I know," both witches said in unison before they each leaned in and kissed Harry goodnight.

"Tomorrow will hold whatever it will hold," Harry said softly, feeling his eyelids start to droop as the potion began to work. "Right now though life is pretty good," he said as the two women snuggled in, one on each side. With a smile still on his face, Harry drifted off to sleep.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The Muse decided to be nice to us and start the year off with a new chapter. We're certainly winding down to the end of the story. Can't be long now I would imagine. The next chapter will take us to the Wizengamot and hopefully we'll find out just what Hermione has planned.
> 
> I just want to take a moment and wish everyone a very Happy New Year! I hope that the new year will bring you and your families much happiness and the best of health!
> 
> As always, your reviews are not required, but they are greatly appreciated.
> 
> Kind Regards,
> 
> EJ Daniels
> 
> All characters within this story, unless otherwise stated are the sole property of J. K. Rowling the original writer of the Harry Potter series.


	34. Wizengamot

"I'm sorry," Hermione said while on the verge of tears. "I thought I had it all figured out," the distraught witch told Harry. The wizard in question sat next to the woman who was his best friend, a look of confusion upon his features upon hearing her words. "It doesn't look like my plan will work now, Harry."

The group, for it couldn't be called anything other than that, was in a private conference room within the Ministry of Magic. Earlier that morning, when Harry had made ready to leave Westfield and go to the Wizengamot session, everyone in the house had declared their intentions of going with him. Except for Andi who had remained conspicuously absent. In the end, Harry had consented, leaving Teddy and Anna with Winky. Much to Anna's displeasure.

The appearance of Harry Potter within the Ministry of Magic had caused a more significant commotion than any of them had assumed it would. It hadn't been even a year yet since the young man had defeated Voldemort. Harry's presence generated more attention than if the Queen herself had stepped into the Ministry of Magic. Those in the atrium paused as whispers of the Boy-Who-Lived swept through the early morning crowd of Ministry workers.

Harry, thinking rather quickly, had commandeered a vacant meeting room for their group. It was as much to give them some privacy as it was to limit the disturbance Harry's presence was causing. It was shortly after they had entered the room and closed the door that a very remorseful Hermione had approached Harry and taken the seat next to him.

"That's alright," Harry replied, attempting to console the emotional witch. "We'll proceed with our plan then," Harry stated with a look towards Daniel Wright. The solicitor had been awaiting their arrival in the atrium and had joined Harry's group. "It will be alright Hermione," Harry said in what he hoped was a reassuring tone as he pulled the witch into a hug. The young man really had no clue if things would turn out in his favor or not but what choice did he have at this point but to hope that they would.

"I think it is our best course of action to proceed as we discussed Mister Potter," Daniel Wright agreed. "We just need to keep them focused on what Greengrass did rather than on what you did. That and the fact that your magic accepted your marriage to Missus Lovegood."

"I'm sorry I let you down," Hermione spoke into Harry's shoulder. "I thought for certain that Andi would be willing to do it if it were to save you, Harry."

"What was it she would need to do?" Harry asked, a bit curious at this point. Granted he had told Hermione that he trusted her, but that didn't keep him from wondering all the same.

"It doesn't really matter now," Daphne cut in, "as it isn't going to work now it appears."

"It looks like you were right after all," Hermione said, pulling away from Harry's arms and standing to face Daphne. The young woman's emotions were in shambles. The fact that she had not been able to save Harry causing her much grief and heartache.

"I take little satisfaction from that fact," Daphne told her as she stepped to Hermione and began to dab at the older girl's wet cheeks with a handkerchief she had pulled from her handbag. "It would have been nice if it had," she added with a wistful smile. "Difficult, I'm sure, but nice all the same."

"So, what is the plan now, Harry?" Tracey inquired, trying her best not to show just how nervous she was and failing.

"Well, the fact that Greengrass basically tricked Lord Potter into his marriage with Lady Black should give us a fairly strong case of attempted line theft. As Lord Potter is the head of a Noble and Ancient House that is no small matter," Daniel Wright answered. "Should the Wizengamot rule against Greengrass it will be him that will be seeing the inside of a cell at Azkaban and not Lord Potter."

"Lord Potter?" Tracey commented with an arched brow. It was the first she had ever heard of Harry being addressed in such a manner.

"Yes," Harry confirmed. "Apparently there is a reason the Black family is called the Noble and Ancient House of Black. At some point in the past, they were given a title and lands and made a member of the Peerage. I am what you would call a Hereditary Peer, thanks to Sirius" explained Harry. "I hold the Scottish Peerage title of Earl."

"So, then you have lands as well?" Luna asked, her Ravenclaw curiosity getting the better of her. Luna knew that Harry would hate having the title at all. _It's not like he doesn't have enough of them already. The Chosen One, the Boy-Who-Lived, Vanquisher of Voldemort_ , she mused. Still, one never knew when being a member of the Peerage might come in handy, she reasoned.

"I suppose so," Harry said, glancing over at Daniel Wright and arching a brow in question.

"I will look into it, Lord Potter," the solicitor replied to the unasked question. "His Lordship is Harry James Potter, 17th Earl of Ross to be precise," Daniel added with a grin at Harry's obvious discomfort with the title. "Lady Black would actually be the 19th Countess of Ross."

"Your Grace," Tracey curtsied with excessive formality to Daphne, her eyes alight with mirth.

"Yes, yes, carry on wench," Daphne replied in a haughty tone as she made a shewing gesture. There were amused chuckles about the room bringing a bit of much-needed laughter as most were on edge knowing what awaited Harry. Much like Luna, the former Slytherin's mind kicked into overdrive with the sudden realization that she was married to royalty. Her thoughts were cut short though as they all heard the door to the room open.

"Well everyone certainly seems to be in a good mood at least," Astoria said as she stepped into the room leading Draco by the hand. "I hope we made it in time for the war council?" The two newlyweds were dressed in formal robes which fit the occasion with their new family crest embroidered over the left breast.

"What are you doing here?" Tracey asked. "I thought you two would be making like bunnies or something."

"Yes, well," stammered the embarrassed witch, her cheeks turning a rather bright red, "after that we thought we would be needed here. "We can always go back to the island afterward," Astoria added with a suggestive look towards Draco.

The former Slytherin wizard took it all in stride, willing to do whatever Astoria wished at this point. _Not that I don't owe Potter a debt but the island was so much more fun_ , he thought. "Tactful as always, Davis," Draco drawled as he slipped an arm around Astoria and pulled her to his side.

"I'm sure we can use the moral support," Daphne was quick to cut in with before Tracey and Draco could square off. "There's been a slight change of plans it seems."

Astoria took a quick look around the room. "Andi," was all she said upon realizing that the older witch was absent. Admittedly she was not surprised to discover that Andi had balked at marrying Harry.

"I guess I shouldn't really blame her," Hermione offered. "I mean she was already married once. I'm sure she loved her husband and would find it difficult to marry again."

"You wanted Andi to marry me?" Harry asked in disbelief at the realization.

"Among others," Luna provided helpfully as she stepped to Harry's side and slipped her arm within his. "Not that it matters now. Perhaps it would be best if we headed to the courtroom so that we can get seats up front?" the witch suggested, leading Harry toward the doors. As they stepped out into the busy hallway, they nearly ran into another group of people.

"Harry?" exclaimed the somewhat surprised voice of Neville Longbottom. The Longbottom of Longbottom was dressed in expensive ceremonial robes and was accompanied by two witches, one on either side. Neville had filled out over the summer and now was what many women referred to as ruggedly handsome.

"Neville? How are you, mate?" Harry asked, shaking hands with the wizard. "Ladies," Harry added with a nod to the two women with the former Gryffindor. Susan just smiled back while Hanna got somewhat of an awed look on her face upon seeing Harry. It wasn't every day you got to stand face to face with the savior of the Wizarding world after all.

"Fine," Neville replied, shaking Harry's hand. The two exchanged pleasantries concerning their holidays. The witches with Harry were pleased to note that Harry played it off as if his holidays had been nothing special. "Come to see me take my seat, have you?" Neville finally inquired.

"Of course," Harry quickly stated before anyone could say anything else. It was better if everyone else didn't realize that Harry was there for reasons of his own the wizard figured. At least not just yet. Neville claiming his family seat on the Wizengamot was as good a cover as any for his presence there that day. "You know everyone here," Harry added, providing introductions for those in his group regardless.

The former Gryffindor arched a questioning brow upon being introduced to Daphne and Tracey as both were from Slytherin. Receiving a small shrug from Harry, the man decided that it wasn't really his place to ask. "You know Susan Bones as she works for you," Neville said with a grin. "The is Hanna Abbot, my intended," Neville said in a tone as if he still didn't believe it himself.

"Intended?" Harry parroted back in surprise. "Congratulations to you both! When did this happen?"

"I ask myself that as well," Augusta Longbottom said as she approached the group. "Nice of you to make it, Mister Potter," Madam Longbottom added as she came to stand beside her grandson. "I am glad that some of Neville's friends could be present for this."

"Wouldn't miss it for the world," Harry managed to get out, wondering if he had overlooked an invitation in the post or something. With everything that had been going on of late Harry had been somewhat remiss in handling his own personal mail. "I doubt we'd all be here if it weren't for Neville here," Harry said, making the man blush and the grandmother beam proudly. "Couldn't have defeated Voldemort without him!"

Augusta, hearing Harry words, felt her chest swell with pride. She dearly missed her Frank but knew that Neville's parent would be very proud of their son and the part he had played in the downfall of the Dark Lord. The fact that Harry had always been very vocal concerning the part her Neville and the others had played only served to reinforce her belief in the Potter boy. Seeing Hanna smiling up at Neville with a hint of hero worship in her eyes led the aged witch to think that maybe Neville had done alright for himself.

"I believe we are nearly ready, Neville," Augusta stated turning to address her grandson. "They are expecting us in courtroom three I believe. The actual ceremony of Vestment will not take place until the end of the session. They want you to have to sit through a session before they give you the seat. Why don't you sit with your friends till it is time?"

"Yes, Gran," Neville replied, happy to have others to sit with through what he expected to be a rather long and tedious Wizengamot session.

As a group, they all made their way to the designated courtroom. The large group entered courtroom three, drawing many stares from the few Wizengamot members who were already there. Harry noted that Lucius Malfoy was already seated on the far side of the courtroom with Gerald Greengrass beside him. Malfoy senior wore a blank expression. However, Gerald appeared to be none too pleased to see Harry there.

**-oOo-**

"Bloody hell! What is Potter doing here?" Gerald Greengrass snarled. The wizard's eyes followed the young man and his entourage as they seated themselves near the doors. It didn't take long for him to spy the Longbottom heir or to see his own daughters and Tracey Davis, who was never far from Daphne. "What is your son doing sitting with him?" Gerald demanded shooting Lucius a suspicious look on seeing the Malfoy boy seated next to Astoria.

"He's not my son," Lucius replied calmly. "I disowned him several days ago."

"What!" Gerald exclaimed in disbelief.

"For Merlin's sake! Draco has been nothing but a disappointment his entire life. I really should have dropped him from the family a long time ago but was rather busy at the time. I will not have him being responsible for the Malfoy name when I am gone. Besides, I can always make another heir," Lucius pointed out. "Some of us have better luck making sons than daughters," he added with a small condescending smile.

"But he was your tie to the Black Family," Gerald pointed out, confused by the man's actions and choosing to ignore the jab about sons. It went without saying that Lucius had been rather busy supporting Voldemort. Gerald couldn't help but wonder what the Dark Lord would have thought concerning Lucius disowning his only heir.

"Please," Lucius scoffed, "we both know that you were not about to let me get my hands on the Black gold, Greengrass." Seeing the shocked look on the other wizard's face, Lucius continued. "It matters not. I already told you that gold I have aplenty. What I really wanted was the share in the Greengrass business. As the Black gold will go to further that business, I will still make out rather handsomely in the end."

"Does Draco know? Do you think he is why Potter is here today of all days?" Gerald asked, stalling for time to think over what Lucius had said. He had to admit that it made a bit of sense. No one ever claimed that Lucius Malfoy was ever stupid. The man had an uncanny ability to save his own arse when many others would not have been able to. The fact that Lucius had managed to figure out the double-cross actually slightly impressed Gerald. Still, the former Head of the Greengrass family did not get where he was in life by trusting blindly.

"I would believe so or more precisely I would think it was your youngest daughter which weaseled the information out of him," Lucius drawled. "You know how young men are. They see a pair of spread legs and can't help but think with the wrong head. Women have all sorts of ways to make men talk in the middle of the night after all."

"Astoria would never do that!" Gerald bristled at the implication that his daughter had slept with the former Malfoy heir just to gain information. The wizard chose to overlook the fact that he had expected Daphne to do that very same thing to the Potter boy in order to gain control of the Black gold. "I raised my daughters to be better than that!"

"Really?" Lucius asked with a knowing smirk. "If I were you, I would have her purity checked before you entered into any future marriage contract negotiations. I could be wrong, but she did appear to be walking a little stiffly when they entered. She hasn't released Draco's arm since they arrived either," he pointed out.

Gerald looked over toward the group seated by the main doors and had to admit that it did appear as though Astoria was hanging on Draco's arm in a less than ladylike manner. "Potter being here changes nothing," the angry wizard finally spat.

"I agree," Lucius concurred in a bored tone. "Potter broke the law and should have to pay for his crime."

"Exactly!" Gerald agreed.

"And if you should once again become the Head of the Greengrass family while filling your vault with the Black gold all the better, right?" Lucius asked rhetorically.

"And you have the votes?" Greengrass pressed.

"I received all the proper paperwork from your solicitor concerning our arrangement," Lucius stated, "so _you_ have all the votes."

The two wizards sat back as the remainder of the Wizengamot filed in and found their seats. The last to enter was the Minister for Magic, Kingsley Shacklebolt with the Chief Warlock, Amos Diggory beside him. Amos had been appointed by Shacklebolt shortly after the war. Kingsley had felt it would give the wizard something to do as Amos was still heartbroken over what had happened to Cedric.

The next hour was filled with issues that had carried over from the previous year including a rather interesting patent suit between the Cleansweep Broom Company and Joseph Spudmore, the inventor of the Firebolt. Cleansweep alleged that Spudmore had used several proprietary spell formulas when crafting his Firebolt broom and were requesting to see the arithmancy that went into the spells. Spudmore offered to compare them if Cleansweep provided their spell arithmancy. As neither wished to divulge the bases of their products' spells the case remained at a stalemate and was finally passed over for the next session.

"Is there any new business?" Kingsley finally asked. Gerald made to rise but was beaten apparently by someone else. "The Wizengamot acknowledges Harry Potter. Might I just say that it is a pleasure to see that you are taking an interest in your government Mister Potter. If you're not careful I may just have to find a job for you," Kingsley said, eliciting a round of good-natured chuckles across the room. "You have the floor Mister Potter." The Minister said with a warm smile.

"Thank you, Minister," Harry said as he stepped to the front of the room. "While I am certain that working for you and Ministry would be very exciting, I think I've had my share of excitement for a while. Besides, if I were a Ministry employee, who knows, someone may just try and get me elected," Harry added, causing a fair bit more laughter.

The young wizard finally turned to address the Wizengamot. "Chief Warlock, honorable witches, and wizards, it is indeed a pleasure to be able to stand before such an august group of individuals. Let me first say that I, like so many others, greatly appreciate all that you do for our world." Harry gave a small bow to them before he continued.

"While you may know me as Harry Potter, the Vanquisher of Voldemort," Harry opened with, pleased to hear only a few gasps among those assembled there upon hearing the Dark Lord's name. "I must ask that you forget that for today as I must address you not as a hero but rather as a Head of House. As you may know, I am Lord Harry Potter of the Noble and Ancient House of Black. I stand before you today seeking not reparation but rather something much more valuable, justice!"

Harry's words sent a wave of whispers and murmurings around the room. Many there were Heads of their own respective houses and so couldn't help but speculate on what had brought their hero before them this day. His words also made sure that he now held their undivided attention. "I know you are all probably asking yourself what could have happened. I will tell you for I am appalled that someone would commit such heinous crimes. Slavery! Forced servitude for life!" Harry exclaimed rather loudly. His words eliciting gasps of disbelief and rumblings of outrage. "I know not what else to call it."

"Those are grave crimes, Mister Potter," Amos Diggory said after banging his gavel down and restoring a measure of order. "I hope you have some proof," the Chief Warlock said, eyeing the younger wizard darkly. Amos had never forgiven Harry for what had happened to his son, Cedric. The heartbroken father held a grudge, feeling that Harry should have been able to save Cedric. He could not get over the fact that his son had been killed merely because he was a spare.

"I do Chief Warlock," Harry replied, thrusting up his left hand and allowing the Black Head of House ring to appear. "No doubt you have all read the article in the Prophet, penned by one of their less than talented writers, informing the Wizarding world that I have recently wed. It was a marriage which Lady Black nor I had agreed to at the time. It was only through deceit and trickery of that man," Harry spun dramatically and leveled an accusing finger directly at Gerald Greengrass, "that his unsuspecting daughter and I were trapped!"

Gerald Greengrass sat in his seat while every eye in the courtroom stared at him in disbelief and whispers of possible line theft ran through the assembly. Allowing his gaze to sweep the room Gerald noted in some faces that he saw grudging respect for having accomplished something many of them hadn't even thought of, and fewer still would have even dared to try.

_The brat has outplayed me_ , Gerald realized. _I may have underestimated him just slightly_. His plans for dramatically revealing that the boy was married twice over were dashed for the moment it appeared. _Though the battle is far from lost_. Gerald knew there would come a time when that tidbit of information could be used to his benefit. The accused wizard rose to address the gathered elite of Britain's Wizarding world.

"Witches, Wizards, Chief Warlock, Minister," Gerald opened with as he stepped from his seat and strode to the bottom floor to face his accuser. "I think perhaps Mister Potter is mistaken. Quite understandable for one so young and inexperienced in such matters. I, who am without a male heir, have been merely looking out for the best interests of my eldest daughter, Daphne. What parent wouldn't want the very best for their child after all? I am certain none here can disagree that our Hero is anything but the best our world has to offer."

"Perhaps this is a matter we should defer till the next Wizengamot session in a month's time?" the Minister suggested over the murmurings running through those assembled.

"I would prefer to have this matter settled now," Gerald was quick to voice. "Such a slanderous statement, should it reach the public, will no doubt have a negative impact on the Greengrass family name and businesses. It could possibly cost me thousands of galleons before I can clear my name of any wrongdoing." It also wouldn't do for Daphne to reach her maturity if the matter was delayed until the next meeting of the Wizengamot.

"Not really your concern that, though is it?" Harry asked, "As the Greengrass business is no longer yours but rather mine." The young wizard didn't like how Greengrass was attempting to make him appear immature and too young to know what he was speaking of. A quick glance in Daphne's direction showed that outrage on her face at her father saying it was all for her best interests.

"True though that may be," Gerald conceded in a low enough tone so that only Harry could hear him, "by the time this is all said and done they, and so much more, will be, Mister Potter. My apologies, Lord Potter," Gerald hastily corrected with a smirk before Harry could point out the proper manner to address him.

"Minister," Amos voiced, "Mister Greengrass does have a valid point. The Greengrass name is well respected, and the financial impact could be quite severe should this get out. It would not do to have such an outstanding member of our world disgraced in such a manner. Something I am certain Mister Potter would not wish to happen if he fully understood what he was doing. As Mister Greengrass is willing to refute the allegations against him perhaps it would be best if we proceed?"

Minister Shacklebolt could do little but look at Harry and ask, "Are you prepared to proceed Lord Potter?" Seeing the wizard in question give a sharp nod the Minister turned to address Gerald Greengrass. "Mister Greengrass, are you prepared to defend yourself here and now as well or would you like some time to prepare your defense?"

"I believe it will be in everyone's best interest to proceed, Minister," Gerald replied, certain that this would be a walk in the park. "I'm sure everyone has better things to do with their time so let us get this over with as quickly as possible."

The Minister gave a brief nod toward the Chief Warlock to proceed. Normally the Chief Warlock presided over the Wizengamot and ran the sessions. Occasionally the Minister would take control, such as Fudge had done for Harry's trial, but those were rare occasions. "Mister P…, excuse me, Lord Potter, I assume you have proof to present to this body concerning your allegations against Mister Greengrass?"

"Yes, Chief Warlock," Harry acknowledged. "Though I shall need assistance from those who are with me to present it," he added with a gesture towards those in his group who were seated in the front rows. "I'm passingly decent at defeating Dark Lords, but pants at presenting logical facts, as my dear friend Miss Granger has been quick to inform me of on numerous occasions," he stated, drawing some laughter from those seated in the room. The witch in question blushed upon hearing the unexpected admission.

"Yes, yes. Whatever it takes, Lord Potter," Amos replied with a gesture to indicate the man should get on with it and stop wasting their time.

"This is my solicitor, Daniel Wright," Harry said, gesturing towards the man in question who stood as he was introduced. "He will be handling my case."

"Members of the Wizengamot," Mister Wright opened with. "If you will indulge me a few moments of your time I feel it is important to provide you with a clear picture of what has transpired. To do this I must provide you with some rather unsettling history," he said addressing those gathered as Harry and Gerald both returned to their seats.

"In the mid-1300's there was a sickness which ran rampant through the muggle world. The Bubonic Plague spread wiping out entire towns and cities. It is estimated that between 70 to 200 million muggles died around the world. Nearly 60 percent of their world's population."

"So, a lot of muggles died," stated a member of the Wizengamot. "What's your point? Are we suppose to care about what happened hundreds of years ago?"

"Actually, yes," Daniel replied to the question. "For you see, not long before they were hit by the plague, our world was as well. In the early 1300's our world, not just Britain mind you, but the whole of the Wizarding world was afflicted by a similar sickness. Nearly three-quarters of our population perished," he informed them.

"Unless this plague you spoke of is returning I fail to see the relevance Mister Wright," Amos said.

"I am coming to that Chief Warlock," Daniel said, turning to gesture toward Hermione. The young witch, clutching her beaded purse, stood and made her way towards the waiting solicitor. "Though I am certain she needs no introduction, this is Miss Hermione Granger. She has been working as my research assistant on this matter." While not technically accurate he felt it would lend credence to Hermione's testimony if she were thought of as such.

As if by magic a tabled appeared before the pair. "As one might expect, given the immense loss of life," Daniel started with as Hermione withdrew several books from the small beaded purse and set them on the table which had appeared. "Those that survived would become somewhat reclusive. Small magical villages or coven homesteads did not look favorable upon outsiders." Daniel gave a slight nod toward the waiting witch.

"This made finding a spouse rather difficult," Hermione said, dropping into her lecture mode to overcome her nerves at addressing the Wizengamot directly. "It would have been rather imperative to procreate and increase the magical population once again yet these small isolated communities, fearing the spread of disease, did not welcome outsiders. There are documented reports," Hermione continued as she gestured towards the first three books she had removed from her purse, "where witches and wizards had been killed just for approaching these isolated groups."

"Times were vastly different in those days. While the Ministry has worked to guide our world since the early 1700's, before that time the Wizards' Council held sway," Hermione stated, drawing forth a huge tome from her tiny purse and setting it upon the table. "There were laws enacted to both protect the surviving settlements as well as those wishing to find a spouse to start a family with." Hermione paused to pull out another tome. Some of those sitting with Harry, Astoria especially, recognize the book, having seen it once before at Westfield.

"I would like to read one such law to you," Hermione said before proceeding. "The intend'd shalt traveleth to whence those gents cameth bringing with those folk not pestilence n'r beshrew n'r aught oth'r than the robes upon their backeth. Thou shalt liveth in thy husband's lodging of residence and w'rk the landeth as that gent doth seeth fiteth f'r a p'riod of nay less than three synodic phases. If 't be true hath found the mistress w'rthy that gent may purchaseth all yond is of value from h'r family, presenting the intend'd h'r wand to his jointress to completeth the agreement hon'rably. Shouldst the jointress beest unfit 'r unable to beareth offspring within the turning of the seasons then the husband needeth but breaketh h'r wand to dissolve the agreement and sendeth h'r backeth to h'r family f'rev'r sham'd and suitable only f'r the s'rvitude to the church."

"Thank you, Miss Granger," Daniel said once the witch had finished. "Allow me to translate for everyone. A family could present their daughter to a perspective wizard. The witch would then have to go live and work there without her wand or magic for three lunar cycles. Should the wizard decide to wed, he would then purchase the witch's wand from her family. The deal was considered complete when the wizard presented the witch with her wand."

"And if he never presented her with her wand?" Augusta Longbottom asked causing the solicitor to look in Hermione's direction.

"That part was not included in the book," Hermione replied. The young witch assumed that either the family would come and collect the rejected prospective bride or that the woman would leave on her own.

Augusta gave a brief nod, more than a little angry at just how poorly women had been treated back in that era. Witches these days had just as many rights as wizards did, which she was very thankful for. "Can you clarify the last part about breaking her wand?"

"If the witch was unable to bear the wizard a son within the first year he was then allowed to snap her wand and send her back to her family," Hermione answered. "Her family was then to send her to the church for the remainder of her days."

"Yes, yes," Amos cut in. "That is a wonderful little bit of history but what does it have to do with what happened to Mister Potter?" he asked, clearly agitated that the proceedings were taking so long.

"I was just getting to that, Chief Warlock," Daniel Wright quickly cut in. "Laws these days are written in a manner to provide protection to all regardless of their station in life. Not so back in our ancestors' days, I'm afraid. Nowhere in that law does it say that the wizard has to be willing to accept the prospective bride. Only that the family has to offer her," Daniel stated. It went without saying that the witch didn't even have to be willing. "It is believed that the wizard accepts the new bride when he purchases the wand of the offered witch and accepts the marriage when he presents her with said wand," the solicitor explained.

"Are you telling us that the witch is sold for the cost of her wand and then is expected to give birth to a son or have her wand snapped and magic lost?" Augusta asked only to see Daniel give a nod of agreement. "That is just barbaric!" the venerable witch exclaimed.

"And a still valid law, Madam Longbottom," Daniel Wright replied to the sound of many gasps of disbelief about the room. "Lord Potter happened to have a chance encounter with the then Daphne Greengrass on the streets of muggle London. Seeing that the woman was stranded, he graciously offered her to stay at his home. Upon discovering that she was without her wand, Lord Potter wrote to her father, Gerald Greengrass, requesting it be returned."

"Gerald Greengrass was able to put Lord Potter off for the better part of four months," Daniel continued with. "It seems he was too busy to return home from the continent to see that his own daughter's wand was returned so that she could protect herself should the need arise. During this time Lord Potter sheltered her providing Daphne with protection and seeing to her needs. Eventually, Lord Potter was able to purchase the wand, which he presented to her within a wand holster which was to be her Yule present."

While Daniel was speaking Hermione had withdrawn Daphne's wand as well as the salamander wand holster and laid them both on the table as evidence. "Needless to say, Lord Potter and Lady Black were both a bit baffled when a ring appeared on Daphne's finger after her first use of the wand," Daniel said. "Neither fully realized just what had happened at the time as you can well imagine. It would be several weeks before we could piece it all together."

"My client, Lord Potter, feels terrible for what has happened to Daphne. It is for her sake that he has brought this matter before this august body. Lord Potter does not feel that it is right that Daphne should be used as a pawn in her father's political games, to be bartered and sold off as mere property to further Gerald Greengrass's nefarious schemes," Daniel stated for his closing remarks.

"While Lord Potter highly doubts there is a way out of the marriage, he feels that the perpetrator of such a heinous crime as selling his own underage daughter into a life of servitude in a marriage she did not desire should not go unpunished. The fact that Lord Potter was also ensnared in the plans of Gerald Greengrass is a lesser matter in his Lordship's eyes. Thank you for your time," Daniel concluded with before leading Hermione back to her seat and taking his own.

"Lord Potter, it sounds as though you are accusing Mister Greengrass of more than just trickery," Augusta Longbottom spoke up. "If what you say is indeed true he could very well be charged with attempted line theft."

Harry stood and once again stepped to the center of the floor. "Madam Longbottom, it is not for me to say what wrongs Mister Greengrass has committed but rather for this body to decide. Mister Wright did speak with me concerning line theft though so I am somewhat familiar with it. It is true that any son born of Daphne and myself would inherit the Black family as well as be the grandson of Gerald Greengrass. However, as I am currently the Head of the Greengrass family, I am not certain that such a charge is warranted. Granted I was not the Head of the family at the time these events occurred. I am by no means a student of the law so I will have to defer to the Wizengamot to decide such weighty matters and will, of course, bow to your judgment."

Seeing as there appeared to be no further questions Amos turned to Gerald. "Mister Greengrass the floor is now yours to respond to the accusations brought against you."

"Members of the Wizengamot," Gerald said once he had reached the center of the floor, "my apologies that this matter has been forced upon you here today. In an effort to give my Daphne a chance at happiness I entered into a marriage contract with Lord Potter. I maintain that I have done nothing to warrant these allegations as I have broken no laws in doing so. Many of this body have either been a part of or negotiated in, married contracts in the past."

"A marriage contract would imply a mutual agreement between two parties," Daniel Wright stated. All the witches in Harry group were nodding their agreement to the solicitor's words.

"Did not Lord Potter meet the requirements of the contract?" Gerald countered with.

"I was unaware that there was even a contract in existence, Sir," Harry replied evenly.

"So, ignorance of the law is an acceptable excuse now is it?" Gerald asked with a small sneer. "Or perhaps because you are The-Boy-Who-Lived we're to overlook the law and assume it doesn't apply to you?"

"The laws apply to me just as they do to everyone else," Harry snarled, angry at the implications that because he was famous, he would assume that the laws didn't apply to him.

"We shall see," Gerald stated with a feral grin. Turning away from Harry the man addressed the assembly once again as he reached into his pocket and withdrew a rolled parchment from his robes, holding it up for all to see. "I have here an official document from Gringotts stating that Lord Potter is married not only to my Daphne but also to one Luna Lovegood!" the man exclaimed.

Gasps and cries of disbelief were scattered about the room upon hearing Gerald's words. The former head of the Greengrass family walked over and present the document to the Chief Warlock who paused in the banging of his gavel to accept the parchment and read it over. Once Amos finished he passed the report over to the Minister for Shacklebolt to read.

"This appears to be authentic," Kingsley declared once a semblance of order had been restored. "Lord Potter, do you deny this?"

Harry stood before he replied, "I do not, Minister."

"Care to explain how this happened?" Shacklebolt asked. The man had known Harry for several years now, having worked with the then boy during the war. He knew just how often trouble seemed to find Harry and could but hope that there was a reasonable explanation for the second marriage otherwise his hands were tied. Kingsley was not about to pull a Fudge and ignore the law.

"Well, being somewhat famous," Harry said, "I thought I only had witches to worry about. It seems it is the fathers of those witches I really needed to fear." The man's attempt at humor elicited a few good-humored chuckles about the room. "Xeno Lovegood, just before his death, made me his heir and extracted a vow from me. I was to provide for Luna, giving her a place at my hearth, protection, a share of my family's bounty and lastly to provide for Luna, a family." Murmuring started as the members of the Wizengamot exchanged whispers concerning this revelation.

"As Luna was underage I took her in, providing for her everything as I had promised," Harry continued with. "I was the head of her house now, and I truly wanted the best for her. After some thought, we both had arrived at the same conclusion that to provide her with a family would mean having a child. I loved Luna and decided that before proceeding I would ask her to be my wife. It seemed the proper thing to do." Around the room, many heads were nodding in agreement, though the majority of them were witches.

"As good as your intentions may have been, Lord Potter, your actions were against the law," Amos Diggory was quick to point out.

"If I may, Chief Warlock?" Daniel Wright enquired, stepping forward. Upon receiving a nod from Amos, the solicitor continued. "We are all wizards and witches who use magic. This very ministry was established to govern just how that magic is used yet it doesn't govern the magic itself. If it did then such things as the Unforgivables would cease to work because they were declared unlawful."

"My client, Lord Potter, is indeed married twice. He has admitted to this openly before you. Both marriages have been consummated and are binding because magic accepted them. We rely on magic for a great many things in our lives, least of not which is to ensure that our contracts and agreements are properly adhered to. Magic accepted both marriages to Daphne Greengrass and to Luna Lovegood. Is it our place to say that the magic is wrong in this case?" Daniel asked.

It went without saying that should they come to the conclusion that magic was indeed wrong this time that they could then open up the possibility that someone wishing to get out of an agreement or a vow could claim that the magic was once again incorrect. The results of such a decision could be disastrous for their world. Magic was in almost every aspect of their lives and if it was wrong in this case then what else might it be wrong in? What other marriage contracts, business agreements or even Heads of House positions could be contested on such grounds.

A rather old wizard named Tiberius Ogden spoke up. "Magic is but a tool. Like a great many things in life, it can be deceived or fooled can it not?"

"This document from Gringotts states that Lord Potter married Daphne Annabelle Greengrass on the evening of the 25th of December and then married Luna Constance Lovegood on the morning of the 26th of December. It was stated that it was some time before it was discovered just what had happened between Lord Potter and Lady Black," Amos said. "Lord Potter, did you know you were married to Lady Black when you proposed to the Lovegood girl?"

"Those present thought it most likely," Harry grudgingly admitted.

"Were you then certain?" Amos pressed.

"I wasn't certain of anything at that time, Chief Warlock. Lady Black let me know of her displeasure at the turn of events though," Harry replied, one hand coming up to absently rub his eye where he had been punched. Daphne for her part hung her head to hide the redness of her face at that moment.

"So one could conclude, as you did not know yourself, that your magic as well was unaware that you were married and hence accepted the second joining," Gerald stated rather loudly to be heard over the whispers spreading around the room.

"Would that not then also indicate that my client was unaware that he was breaking any law?" Daniel quickly asked.

"Ignorance is not an excuse," Amos was just as quick to point out. The wizard felt that the Potter brat was getting what he deserved for allowing his Cedric to die in that graveyard all those years ago. "I know not what the penalty for breaking the law is but I shall see it fully enforced. It is important that we show that not even a celebrity is above the law after all. In these trying times, the Ministry must be shown as being fair and just with everyone regardless of their station."

"I think you will find that the penalty is ten years in Azkaban," Gerald provided with a smile.

"A…are you certain?" Amos enquired, suddenly less sure of seeing the Potter boy held accountable. It was one thing to see Potter fined a large sum of galleons and quite another to sentence the Wizarding world's hero to Azkaban for a decade.

"It is, Chief Warlock," Hermione spoke up, pulling a large law book from her handbag and handing it to Daniel Wright who in turn presented it to the Chief Warlock after opening it to the correct page.

"Before that sentence is carried out though, I demand reparation. It is my lovely daughter who has been ill-treated and misused. It will be near impossible to find her an appropriate suiter now that her purity has been soiled," Gerald exclaimed. "My family honor has been besmirched! I demand satisfaction!"

"What would you have us do?" Amos enquired.

"We have yet to determine if my client is even at fault here," Daniel Wright objected strenuously. The Westfield contingent was entirely in agreement with the man's words.

"He openly admitted to being married to both witches," Gerald was quick to point out. "The law is very clear on polygamy, Sir, as I am certain you well know."

"What are your demands, Mister Greengrass," Amos asked once again.

"As Lord Potter will soon be in Azkaban he will be unfit to run the Greengrass business. I would like to have the Greengrass Head of House stripped from him and returned to me. It was given as a wedding gift after all, and I see no reason why he should retain it considering his betrayal of my daughter!" Gerald said.

"Fine, you can have it," Harry replied to the shock of everyone.

"What?" Gerald asked in disbelief.

"I, Harry James Potter, abdicate the Greengrass Head of House and all it entitles to Gerald Greengrass," Harry intoned only to have the Greengrass Head of House ring disappear from his right hand and appear on Gerald's finger.

The new head of the Greengrass family looked down at his hand feeling the familiar weight of the house ring there once again. A slow smile spread across Gerald's face as he realized he had actually won. _I beat him!_ The wizard's head shot up, and his eyes landed on Daphne and Astoria. "Daughters, as your head of house, father and legal guardian, as you are both yet underage, you are to come here and sit beside me at once!"

Daphne smiled at her father. "I am no longer a member of the House of Greengrass and therefore cannot be your daughter. I was cast out of the Greengrass family some time ago. I am now solely of the Black family through my marriage to Lord Potter. Hence you have no control over me or say in anything I may do, Sir."

"While I was not cast out," Astoria spoke up once Daphne had finished. "I was fortunate enough to be wed to Draco here just a few days ago. So sorry you and mother couldn't attend. The binding ceremony was very touching. We were assured that it was unbreakable. So, it does seem that you have no say in what I do now as well, Father."

"I think you will find that your daughters are not the only thing that House Greengrass is missing," Harry said. "Not two days hence House Greengrass sold all their business holdings and properties, including Greengrass Manor, to the House of Black. What was the price again?" Harry asked, turning to look at Daniel Wright.

"Two knuts, as I recall, Lord Potter," the solicitor replied.

"Yes, yes, that's right," Harry agreed with a slow nod as if just recalling the fact for himself. "Fear not though Greengrass, House Black was kind enough to sell House Greengrass a new residence located at Number 12 Grimmauld Place in Islington, London. What was the agreed upon price?" Harry asked, turning to Daniel Wright once more.

"The contents of the Greengrass vaults, Lord Potter," the solicitor provided with a straight face.

"That's right," Harry agreed, once again appearing to have only just remembered the fact. "While Grimmauld Place is certainly a step up from Azkaban, I will at least find comfort for the next ten years knowing that everything you had is firmly out of your reach, Sir! Do not fret though, for I did not leave you completely broke. I believe you will find the two knuts still in your vault, though I doubt that will be enough to cover the monthly vault fees the Goblins charge."

Gerald Greengrass could scarcely believe his ears. In a matter of moments, he had gone from having it all to losing everything he had ever worked for in his life. Gerald had even apparently lost his daughters due being outmaneuvered by the Potter boy. _I am sure Daphne played no small part in this_ , he thought. As much as he hated to admit it, he was just a touch proud of his oldest daughter for her manipulations. Left with no other choice Gerald turned to his last and only hope. "Do something!" he demanded.

"After careful consideration, I believe it is in the best interest of my House that we terminate our mutual relationship at this point," Malfoy replied calmly. "It just isn't good business sense to be associated with you Gerald," he added with a knowing smirk. "I did warn you after all. Potter is not one to be messed with. Some wizards lead a charmed life it would seem."

Harry took a moment to step over to his witches, passing Daphne his wand. "Be sure to take care of everyone," he told Daphne and Luna. "I'll be back before you know it," Harry added with a lopsided smile before turning around and stepping forward. "Chief Warlock, Minister, members of the Wizengamot, I am ready to go to Azkaban," he said, holding out his hands before him, wrists together and facing upwards.

At a reluctant gesture from Kingsley, two Aurors stepped forward to take Harry into custody. Suddenly the courtroom door flew open slamming rather loudly into the walls and drawing everyone attention toward them. "Unhand that wizard this instant!" demanded a commanding voice.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I've rewritten this chapter several times now and am still not happy with how it is, but I doubt the Muse will change her mind. Apparently, I am rather pants at writing courtroom scenes. Now for all of you that wanted Gerald to get what was coming to him, there you go. Harry had a solicitor and a group of the most intelligent witches on his side, so of course they were going to discover a means to neuter Greengrass. Shame on you for doubting! We're not done just yet though. There is at least another chapter and perhaps an epilogue as well. Hard to truly say as I have nothing written as yet.
> 
> At the risk of my own life and limb, especially after that cliffie (like I've never done that to you before in this story?) I have to admit that I am not sure when the next chapter will be up. I have been working through some health issues of late. Nothing for you to worry about, just older age and the colder weather catching up with me. Of course, having just said that the Muse will probably go all prolific on me tonight and finish the story. So, who do you think it was that burst into the courtroom there at the end? Drop me a review and let me know your thoughts on that and the chapter itself.
> 
> As always, your reviews are not required, but they are greatly appreciated.
> 
> Kind Regards,
> 
> EJ Daniels
> 
> All characters within this story, unless otherwise stated are the sole property of J. K. Rowling the original writer of the Harry Potter series.


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